


Zootopia AU: Predation

by DancingLunarWolves



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bigotry & Prejudice, Conspiracy, Crime Scenes, Drama, F/M, Hate Crimes, Murder Mystery, Predator/Prey, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Violence, Violent Actions, malicious intent, predation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-07-26 21:11:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 125,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7590514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DancingLunarWolves/pseuds/DancingLunarWolves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zootopia, a city that was once the hope of a gleaming metropolis, has long since become nothing more than a dystopian society. With prey and predators mysteriously missing, found maimed, or murdered, the ZPD's finest are there to do their job with a little help. To keep the city safe, and to keep its predators under control. An AU based on the original concept.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Hey all, DLW here with a brand new story type. This one themed for Zootopia! It's been in my head for quite some time and I absolutely had to try it. I mean really, this thing ate at my mind for months while I got the plot scripted out (it called to me...). This being a new style, I do have a bit of a treat for you all, more info at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.)

 **A note to all my readers out there.** I wanted to try something different with this story and found that... the long story type can be a little intimidating. With some chapters being about... 12-17k words in length, I wanted to try shortening them by a bit. With that being said, the first... 6 chapters are going to be reuploaded pieces of the first two chapters. So starting at chapter **7** is all new content. So I apologize to anyone of my readers that see the first few chapters and are confused as to why I've re-uploaded it with some tweaks. **TLDR** ; slightly shorter chapters to make reading easier, fun, and dramatic.

* * *

**Prologue**

'The Call'

* * *

[August 17, 'On the outskirts of Little Rodentia' 9:40 PM]

'Dispatch to patrol, 10-91 in progress. Suspect last seen heading into Little Rodentia, requesting all available units.'

Judy must have sighed for at least the fifth time during her short ride from the precinct. She reached for the radio on the console, having to stretch to in order to grab the oversized device. Picking up the object half her size, she switched it on to reply.

"10-4 dispatch, unit 981 heading towards Little Rodentia now."

With that, she hung the radio back where it was and leaned back in her seat. She was used to this routine by now; the late calls, the dangerous raids, and lack of sleep. She didn't mind though, it was what she loved to do and why she was here now.

As of late she sat idly in the front passenger seat of the massive cruiser. Though her small frame barely allowed her to see out the window or buckle herself in, the splashes of water on the windshield and the increased speed told her she was in for a long night.

Holding back a huff, she pushed back her small tuft of hair and folded her arms. She thought in silent anticipation about what lie in wait for her once they reached their destination.

"Anxious lieutenant?" came a gruff voice from beside her, causing her ears to perk up slightly.

She looked up to the driver of the vehicle. His features, aside from his large horn, were barely visible from the flashes of red and blue.

Averting her gaze, Judy looked out towards barely legible street signs "No McHorn, just thinking about previous cases."

"Never seen anybody mangled like that before, huh Hopps?" the officer chuckled, barely managing to round a corner properly at high speed.

Cringing at what the officer said so lightly and hitting her arm against the door from his turn, Judy brushed her shoulder in frustration.

"I have, but it's not that." she replied with a slight annoyance in her voice.

The rhino, noticing the mood of his superior officer, kept silent and continued down the road to their destination more cautiously.

Though Judy wasn't averse to talking to any of her fellow officers, she had long since become deaf to the idle chatter of her team. Not even the boisterous voices of the officers in the back raised her ears more than a little.

Being of a higher rank than her those around her came with both its perks, and its setbacks. Her subordinate officers respected and revered her, but she never could see eye to eye with anyone there.

As moments passed, she pondered the many possibilities of what could happen in this instance.

"Why Little Rodentia?" She muttered, her words unable to reach the others from the deafening siren.

She hadn't been there many times herself due to border issues and safety concerns for the towns small citizens and equal sized police. Though being small herself, she would easily tower over many of the buildings made for mammals no larger than the average rat.

"We're here." came the voice of McHorn, followed by a series of increasingly sharp turns.

Feeling the huge vehicle come to a sudden stop and hearing the screech of its equally large tires, her train of thought derailed. She felt the heavy doors of the vehicle open and shut around her as her squad car scrambled to the scene.

Taking a moment to unbuckle herself, Judy hopped to the window catching sight of officers under dim light and shielded by umbrellas. Prey mammals of varying species rushed around in attempts go gather information and greet one another, though not a single figure in their midst was anywhere near her height.

Taking one final breath, she reached for the door handle. "Time to protect and serve."

Opening her door and jumping down several feet into a shallow puddle with ease, Judy was greeted with a torrent of rain and officers flooding toward her. Immediately she was given refuge from the rain by an umbrella-toting llama trotting beside her. Thankful for the assistance and hearing the door slam behind her, she shook off as much water as she could and looked up at her comrade.

"Lieutenant Hopps!" the llama saluted, standing at attention awaiting for his superiors command.

"Officer." Judy saluted back.

Having greeted each other, the llama signaled for her with a flick of his hoof "This way please, we'll need you in gear."

Not wanting to waste time and hearing the crack of thunder roll in the distance accompanied by a flash of light, Judy hastily followed. Thought the llama was taller by far, she was accustomed to keeping up the pace.

"Can you brief me on the situation?" she asked, making their way through the crowd towards a fenced gate reading "Little Rodentia".

For a moment the llama didn't respond, finding it rather difficult to squeeze past two elephants conversing. Judy, however, had no problem and simply walked through the small space without fuss.

Getting his bearings straight, he quickly answered "While transporting from sentencing, we had five predators escape custody."

Stopping behind a large police van with various equipment, the llama motioned for Judy to jump in as another wave of thunder ushered in the urgency of the situation.

"Okay..." Judy shrugged, complying and leaping into the van. She took a moment to shake off the water on her feet to which no umbrella could aid her from.

Looking through the van, Judy was able to see the various suits and weapons used very often by the police force. She smiled a little as she always found herself enjoying the sense of security that their weapons gave them.

Still waiting outside, feeling the wind shift and the rain with it, the llama nearly lost his balance.

"We've uh," trying to catch up on the situation, he leaned against the open door for better leverage and continued "w-we've managed to recapture four Ma'am."

"Good, so the last one's here then."

Judy was too busy to look back at him, studying what she may need in what situation. Vests, batons, capture nets and so much more was at her mercy and discretion to use.

"Unfortunately, and why we hoped you'd be around."

Judy reached over to grab one of her most used weapons, stopping midway from the taser as something was still amiss. She turned to see several officers now waiting behind the van all crowding around the llama.

"Name and species." she requested, scanning over the weapons and having proven that she would be prepared for everything.

No sooner did she ask the question, did each officer present brake away from her stare and began nervously glancing at one another. They knew this was coming.

Not hearing a word from them for nearly a minute, she continued "I asked for the name and species, don't keep me waiting."

Hearing the smaller mammal shout was oddly terrifying to each of them. It wasn't often that this superior officer was with them on the front line, but when she was, she always wanted results.

"I-it's..." one started to say, a uniformed zebra standing in the back.

"I-uh..." another stuttered, this one being a ram that somehow managed to fit into his gear despite all the wool.

Frustrated, and finding herself tapping her foot rapidly, she narrowed her eyes towards the llama.

"Tell her DelCorre" a voice whispered amidst them, uttering a response from the llama to nudge his fellow offer in the side.

Hoping that he wouldn't have to be the one to break the news and that his team didn't push him this far, the llama broke from their stares and sighed.

He looked towards Judy, rubbing his neck as he spoke "It's Nicholas Wilde, Ma'am."

Hearing the name made her ears move on their own to full alert, the heavy sounds of thunder rolling added to her dilemma.

She silently reached her right hand up to a torn part of her ear, catching herself midway through the action. Though the officers saw this, none of them were small enough to notice her nose twitch slightly.

"Where's the riot gear." she shouted, turning her back to them and facing the armory once more.

"Top left." was all she heard, not caring who said it.

She scrambled to find the armor of her appropriate size, though it wasn't always easy for her to find one or a helmet. But since her promotion a while ago, she was able to personally request it for any unit just incase.

Finding the customized solid black suit, she quickly placed the padded and hardened armor on; ensuring every lace was tied and every strap was set, she placed the suits mini flashlight on as she went to grab several different weapons.

Having seen how quickly their superior officer jumped to action, the officers thought about what they should say.

The zebra was the first to try to speak "He's a-"

"How did he escape?" Judy interrupted, wasting no time in fitting an appropriately sized taser and fox repellent onto her sides.

"We don't know how any of them managed to escape ma'am." one of them shouted as Judy clipped a small tranquilizer gun with several darts to her belt.

She reached for only helmet that could fit her featuring space for her ears and a face shield. Carefully guiding her ears in and settling into her helmet, she lifted the mask to speak to her fellow officers.

"Where are the radios and nets?."

"Both of em' are in the back." a much higher and distant voice pitched in to alert her.

Reaching for the smallest radio she could take with her, she clipped it to her vest and flicked it on. Hearing the commotion of the dispatch team on the other side, she was satisfied with it and set it on standby.

Finding the closest net gun, she held it aloft; opening it and double checking that she had nets ready for capture, she closed the chamber and walked towards the edge of the van urging the squad to make way for her.

"Why didn't any of you red-band him?" she questioned; hopping down from the van, her tone seething with anger that the situation had gotten this far.

Each officer stepped away, taking their umbrellas with them and causing rain to once again fall on their superior.

"N-not legal ma'am." DelCorre stammered, shivering whether from the wind or Judy's reputation he couldn't tell.

"It's for dangerous convicts only when they're outside the prison." a fellow officer chimed in.

Feeling as though her jaw would drop at any given moment, Judy lifted her head towards where the voice came from.

"And he would be?"

They stood there, each dumbfounded by how much more sense that one simple idea would have made. Some darting their gaze toward others in a constant battle of blame, but none coming forward to say that they made a mistake.

"Oh... right." few of them replied awkwardly.

Having had enough of their antics, Judy approached the gate to the small town. Silence filled the area and heavy rain drops fell down on her as she remembered every detail about the escapee. She wasn't scared of what could happen, she was trained for this.

Not wanting to look back in case she could misjudge her jump, she took a step forward.

"Secure every exit to Little Rodentia and stay in contact, I'm going in."

Issuing her command she heard unanimous sound the officers stamping in puddles, each of them saluting in the rain and soon breaking off to patrol the area.

As she raised her head to see where she could jump over the fence easy, a cold and ominous wind blew. She knelt down and in a single motion bounded over the spiked gate that bordered Little Rodentia.

Not skipping a beat and having hiked over the dangerous fence, she landed with a roll on the other side. Having safely crossed, she peered down the various streets and alleyways before her.

Having her options set, she carefully walked down the nearest street. Her eyes darted to and fro from behind the veil of her helmet. Most if not all the residents would be in their houses at this time due to the storm, but she still needed to be cautious for any stragglers.

Her ears twitched at the slightest sound, but all that she could hear was the slight splash of her feet in puddles as she approached the first set of buildings.

Noting that now would be the best time if any, she paused and lifted her visor. She would take no chances in case she needed help. She pulled the radio off her shoulder and flicked her flashlight on, all while never taking her eyes off the horizon.

She clicked the radio on, inching forward "This is Lieutenant Hopps to dispatch."

A brief pause passed by before she could hear the hiss of the radio.

"This is dispatch, what's your location."

Thankful that they were prompt, Judy held the net gun close to her and moved further away from the officers at the gate.

"I've crossed the border into Little Rodentia and am on the search for the suspect." She said hurriedly, wanting to be sure to have any weapon ready and her face protected from potential bites.

A flash of lightning illuminated the area as she received another response.

"10-4 lieutenant, we'll keep the line open to Bogo as well good luck."

With that, she clipped the radio once again and lowered her helmet. Knowing that she would be safe from most of the damage the fox could do, she held onto her weapon and dashed down the street.

The sound of sirens faded further and further with each step as did the gate to the little town. The only sounds left were the constant fall of rain, the echo of thunder, and the light tap of her pace.

Not a civilian in sight and no sign of her target. She had a job to do and would by all means accomplish it. She was the only one to ever outsmart this fox.

* * *

Okay, so... I've been on hiatus (once again) for seemingly... a long time. But, I'm trying to get back into writing more and more. This story in particular is something that I've thought of for a while ever since I saw Zootopia.

So hopefully the lengthy plot (17.5k words for just writing out the plot alone) will work nicely.

With the next few chapters (until 7 which will be posted soon) being re-uploads, I'm truly sorry, but I wanted to do this sooner than later to make it a much lighter load to read. I just wanted it to be something you could pick up and read in a few minutes rather than try to squeeze in time to read.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other in your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or P.M. me. I feel as thought I'm writing a lot more these days.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, fave and follow. If you want to keep up with the story fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to pass me a P.M... More to come soon.

Till Next Time DLW.


	2. The Hunt

Hey all, DLW here. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews (helps me think more so thank you all)!. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.)

 **A note to all my readers out there.** I wanted to try something different with this story and found that... the long story type can be a little intimidating. With some chapters being about... 12-17k words in length, I wanted to try shortening them by a bit. With that being said, the first... 6 chapters are going to be reuploaded pieces of the first two chapters. So starting at chapter **7** is all new content. So I apologize to anyone of my readers that see the first few chapters and are confused as to why I've re-uploaded it with some tweaks. **TLDR** ; slightly shorter chapters to make reading easier, fun, and dramatic.

* * *

**Prologue**

'The Hunt'

* * *

[August 17, Little Rodentia 10:05 PM]

She had been pacing through the streets of Little Rodentia for some time now. Still unable to find the slightest hint of her suspect and still more than a little cautious.

With the areas tiny fixtures and lower lighting, she took care in rounding every corner to avoid stepping on the street lights and small cars. She was glad she took her flashlight with her.

With rain-water seeping through her gear and finding it increasingly more difficult to navigate the area than she had first thought, Judy kept her pace as her reputation and the city's safety was on the line.

Steadily walking down another street for maybe the third time that night, she huffed in frustration. She should have seen some kind of sign by now, some kind of suspicious action or move or anything out of the ordinary.

"Where is he?" she whispered, knowing nobody heard her but finding peace of mind with her voices company.

Her light shown on various smaller buildings that she towered over. She could see many small rodents looking from their windows, but was unable to see much of their expressions from behind her rain-soaked visor.

Some of the residents stared in awe while others shut and locked their windows, likely horrified from the tall and menacing figure standing outside.

Having no clue of where to continue, she stood still in the middle of the street. Shoulder high buildings cascaded in either direction and no strange activity was in her sight.

Weighing her options, she thought to gain better ground and hopefully find some trace of the pred at large.

"Town center maybe?" she asked herself, thinking the area may be the best hiding place for him. He was wearing his collar in the rain, and the town center may just be the largest place for him to stay.

Nodding with this plan of action, Judy searched for the direction of the town square. She had been paying attention, mentally mapping out where she had been and where the heart of the town should be.

Turning her head in the most likely direction, Judy briskly walked there. She didn't want to miss any new info about the area or overlook any corner that she passed by.

Nearly a minute passed by and she closed in on a large and open area. From what she could see with her flashlight and the decorative lighting in the area, there were several restaurants of reasonable size scattered throughout the area.

One in particular was fitted with a giant doughnut. Its smooth and rounded surface made it look more realistic and appetizing, though biting into it would mean dentures for sure.

Walking through this side of town, she scanned constantly for something out of place. Unsure of what could even be off, she had her shoulder light graze over everything.

She passed by other restaurants, never failing to give each a once over. There were several chain style fast food shops that she recognized for larger mammals, and one that seemed to pride itself on its service of cheese.

Slowly and with keen detail, she managed to cover much of the square in just one sweep. Nearly coming full circle and back to where she started.

Not willing to give up on her search, she trained her flashlight on the next building as she did the others. Her advance was slow enough to give her details in advance and ready her weapon as necessary.

Oddly, she felt something suspicious about this building in particular. She didn't know what it was, but readied her finger on the trigger.

"Is everything alright Hopps?"

Judy, jumping at the sound of her radio, fired the net gun in the direction of the building. Its net deployed landed with a distinct flutter on the ground, and its captured contents nothing more than a few fixtures and grass.

Finding the moment embarrassing to say the least, Judy lifted her visor and picked up her radio.

"Two more rounds, great!"

She flicked the switch and walked towards the misfired net.

"Yeah Chief," Judy replied, very familiar with the buffalo on the other side "Just the rain and some... complications."

She picked up the net and folded it, mindful to watch the area while she slung the unusable net over her shoulder. She certainly couldn't leave it there for the residents to deal with, but didn't know what to do with it now.

"The fox on your mind?" Bogo asked, causing Judy to freeze momentarily.

Hastily, she pressed her talk button on the radio.

"Why would you think that?" She replied, hoping that Bogo wouldn't catch on.

With silent moment and a sigh of relief from Judy, the radio hissed back.

"This is a private two-way call, Hopps." Bogo's stern voice called, somehow always catching Judy off-guard.

"Yeah." she replied with a twinge of guilt in her voice.

Knowing what was to come, she stood there awaiting Bogo's answer.

The first thing she heard was him sigh "I won't pretend to understand how you feel Judy-"

To this, she held her head aloft, memories flooding through her mind. The thought caused her ears to droop, folding over her helmet and having the torn piece drip with freshly fallen rain.

"However you're the only one small enough to get into that part of town with ease, and one of the best members of our force."

Hearing his encouraging albeit coarse and stone sounding voice, Judy felt slightly better. He was right, though he didn't understand, she was one of the best there. And being the best meant working through her problems.

"Understood sir."

Judy acknowledged, thankful that the chief seemed to have her back, usually.

"Splendid," Bogo chuckled "I've phoned for the Little Rodentia police to get all civilians inside, they're still working to keep out of your way."

Silently, Judy was wondering where everybody was. Even in the rain, she'd see any number of the small mammals running to and fro when she was on patrol.

"Good to know."

With that, Judy placed the radio back and shut her visor. The town would be safe thanks to the police coordinating.

"You've captured him before Hopps, good luck." she heard Bogo's voice echo over the radio and fade out. She was always amazed at how prompt he was in keeping the force running well.

Still carrying the net, she looked over the area once more. Detail after detail etched in her memory as she hadn't overlooked anything.

Turning back to where she had deployed the net, something was slightly off to her. She had fired the net and managed not to hit any meaningful target, but still something wasn't there in that spot anymore.

Running towards it, she inspected the building further. It was as tall as she was with green brick siding. Where she was sure that she had seen the side of a red building next to it, there was an empty space and an alleyway.

"That wasn't there before." Judy whispered, feeling her heart race. It wasn't that she had overlooked anything, but the call had caught her off-guard.

Walking towards the curious occurrence, her eyes went wide with excitement and horror.

On the pavement next to the building, she could see matching sets of muddy paw-pad prints heading away from her. A feature as subtle as it was ominous.

A smile creaked its way across her face. She had been so close to her target without knowing, and as short as her conversation was, he couldn't have gotten far.

Thinking that this was her best chance to catch the fox, Judy readied herself to pursue once more.

She looked over her shoulder, still carrying the net that she had failed to use properly. She couldn't bring it with her as it would slow her down.

"I'll get it later." She said to herself, placing it where the footprints started and getting it soaked in a small puddle.

She shown her light on the muddied tracks. Net gun at the ready, she briskly followed beside them and onto a nearby street.

The familiar sight of rows of buildings surrounded her, though she hadn't been down this street yet.

Having followed the tracks a short distance, they began to dissipate and disappear altogether at an intersection just ahead. Stopping at the junction herself, she peered down each street.

Holding her ground, she trailed her weapon left to right. With her light shining just far enough, she could see movement of something taller than the surrounding buildings.

Just in the distance, she could see the outline of what she hoped was her mark.

Clutching her gun; finger on the trigger and inching toward the figure, she felt her heart nearly skip a beat.

Without moving farther than a foot, the distant shadow ran away from her. This action alone was proof enough for her, she found her fox.

"Freeze!" She shouted, mindlessly running after him and forgetting that he voice could only carry so far behind her face shield.

In an instant she found herself running full speed without care as to how quiet her footsteps now were. She would capture him again, he couldn't escape her.

Tearing down the street and feeling her heart race with every step, she could see more and more of the fugitive mere blocks away just out of the range of her flashlight.

He was holding something over his head, and awkwardly weaved as he ran. His frantic motions said that he was in distress, but her mind said he was more dangerous than ever.

She didn't know what he held, but it couldn't be good for her to find out too late.

Strides later; seconds seeming like hours, she was finally able to see the fox in full.

There he ran, sporting the prisons signature red jumpsuit for his offense and his shock collar fastened to his neck with a bright yellow light.

Judy, still in tow raised her weapon. She was close enough for capture, but couldn't afford to waste a shot if he turned too quickly.

"Nicholas Wilde, you're a fugitive of the law," she shouted, making no mistake in conveying the truth "If you turn yourself in now, you may lessen your sentence."

Haven spoken this filled Judy with disgust, but was willing to at least bluff to get the fox captured easy.

Her voice carried far enough to be heard, but not a single step was missed by either of them. If the fox wouldn't stop running, then rabbit wouldn't stop her chase.

Their run continued from one street to another, narrowly turning corners and no more than a few meters away at any given time.

Though Judy was the faster of the two, she couldn't easily clear sharp turns and catch up in her armor. It was protective, but slowing her down just enough to keep out of reach.

Frustrated that the fox could elude her for this long, she readied her net gun until she was sure that a nearby street would give her a clear shot.

Soon enough, Nick turned down a path that Judy had memorized as having no intersections for a while. That would be her chance, she could attempt to capture him there.

Picking up her pace slightly to round the corner at a good speed, Judy took no time to stop but instead slid into position. A small puddle flung water towards the sidewalk as she forced her feet to skid while firing her weapon.

With the net deployed and making its way toward the fox, Judy rushed forward. She wanted to ensure that escape was impossible as the net had hit something and fell to the ground.

Nearly smiling that her mission was nearly over, the sight of the fox still up and moving was something she didn't expect.

She could no longer see the object that he held though, but that wasn't enough. She had to take him down.

"You can't run from me Wilde," she chided, locking in her last round of capture ammo as she made her way past the used net "You're better off willingly going back into custody!"

Glancing at the net, she could see what appeared to be a flag like object resting within.

With one shot left, the she continued down the street. Her eyes focused on him once again, now noticing him slowing down slightly.

He was covering his head with his arms and stumbling ever so often.

She could see a flashes of red and yellow around his neck and he twitched ever so often.

All too well she knew what was happening, his collar was going off. To this, she knew he could be more dangerous.

Taking her net gun and fastening its tether over her shoulder, she readied her dart gun. She couldn't afford any risks now.

In the short time she prepared her dart, Nick had disappeared between several buildings. He wouldn't easily be caught.

Thinking of how to follow him now that he was using the closed spaces as cover, Judy stood close to the nearest structure.

If he was going to sneak around and try to evade her, then she would have to stay close and listen for his movement.

She breathed heavily, making her way through narrow passageways. Her ears bowed in every direction as she heard light steps and faint echoes of fizzling electricity.

Any time she heard the splash of puddles she would inch over to the location, just barely missing it by seconds.

Closer and closer she got, feeling her ears hone in down a dark corridor that lead back to the street that she left the net with his flag for cover.

They had been going in loops, having passed this place a handful of times with his sound disappearing every time she got close to it.

Thinking that he may be trying to go back for it, Judy jolted away from the alley. She dashed towards the street, just barely catching the Fox scramble as he finished untangling his prized cover.

"Stay where you are" she screamed, aiming toward Nick with darts at the ready.

The fox froze for the first time since their chase began. Having just freed his cover, he placed his hands above his head to shield himself from the elements if only a little.

"Please," he shouted, feeling the sting of his collar go off just moments before "I did nothing wrong."

"Shut it fox!" his words fell on deaf ears as Judy inched forward.

She could see a terrified gleam in his eyes as he held dearly onto the flag.

"Don't move!"

Before she could say another word, a vicious wind whipped past them. Causing her to stumble and him to lose grip of the makeshift cover.

Instinctively trying to defend himself, Nick turned around, reaching for the flag. A mistake that Judy wouldn't allow for any reason.

Firing the tranquilizer at her target, a sharp yelp of pain echoed off the nearby buildings as the dart sank into his shoulder.

"I said don't move!"

Having successfully landed a shot, Judy put the tranq away. She only needed one to seal the foxes fate, and now all she had to do was wait for him to fall asleep.

Feeling the sting in his arm a new wave of dread wash over him as he knew what he was hit with, Nick stumbled backwards.

Fearful that this would be his end, he did the only thing he could do. He panicked; visibly breathing heavier, crawling away from Judy and feeling the familiar sting in his neck again.

He writhed in pain, trying to find his bearings. No sooner did one shock end, he picked himself up; clutching his throat, he found what little strength he had left to hobble away.

Disappointed that the fox was still able to stand, Judy shook her head. He was too dangerous to approach directly as he could still fight, and too much of a threat to the nearby citizens to let him walk off.

Though within minutes he'd be ready for transport, she unlatched her taser and followed him at a short distance. There was no need for her to be bitten at the last moment, and her taser ensured that he wouldn't be able to try.

The few streets they crossed lead them ever slowly towards the town square.

Passing by the many restaurants and tripping on the edge of the large imitation doughnut, Nick tumbled forward landing with a splash in a puddle nearby.

Several shocks eliciting weak and pained outcries from the fox went unaccounted to his pursuer. Barely able to lift himself from his struggle, he crawled toward the side of a building that he had welcomed as a crafty hiding place from the weather.

It was more comfortable for him now that it was accompanied by what would have been his capture net.

Nick trudged along as best as he could, finally managing to press his back against the buildings side and rest even though the inevitable was about to take place.

He could no longer stand, unable to shake the numbness taking hold of his body. Exhaustion and pain were present in every breath that he drew.

A sudden shock caused his body to tense, leaving him gasping for air. He sputtered from the agony and reached for his collar in desperation.

Having been in the rain for so long it had begun to frizzle now and again without warning.

"Get this off me." he pleaded, struggling with no avail to remove the device. In the end, he let his arms fall back down to his sides.

Having finally caught up and seeing the effects of the dart take place, Judy held her flashlight and taser at him without hesitation.

"That's never gonna happen."

Huffing out of both frustration and weariness, Nick weakly raised his paw to his collar.

"I never wanted this."

Though his voice was no longer carried the same weight it did minutes ago, it now carried with it a pang of regret.

Averse to even the sound of his words and the obvious lie he had spoken, Judy grit her teeth and raised her visor in anger.

"You were found guilty of violating the Predation Clause," she shouted, grasping her weapon and moving mere inches away from his muzzle "You got what you deserved."

For the first time since she started her chase, Judy could see the fox up close. His emerald colored eyes stared back hazily at her, his breathing steady and collar turning back to green.

Nick, on the other hand, could only dimly see the sharp gaze of purple eyes whose only purpose was to hunt him down.

"You've got me already, okay?" Feeling more tired now, Nick accepted his fate. His eyes drifted away from Judy, away from the danger that stood above him.

No longer having the strength to move nor the will to fight the tranquilizers effects, Nick began to slump to the ground.

"Just, don't let me die in the rain rabbit." he whispered, causing the slightest twitch from Judy ears.

The force of his fall caused a splash in a small puddle below him. Soon enough slight pops of electricity caused him to unconsciously twitch.

Idly, Judy stood there looming over Nick. Her weapon still drawn at the sleeping fox; she herself trembling for all manner of reasons known and unknown.

She had stopped him again, but she couldn't understand why she felt sudden anxiety. He was asleep finally, no more would he run causing Judy to give chase.

This part of her mission over, she reached her spare hand to her radio; stopping as her right hand trembled, having never taken the weapon off the fox, she nearly pulled the trigger several times.

Feeling as though she could fire the weapon at any time, she crossed her left hand over her right and steadily brought the gun back to her side.

Breathing heavily, she flicked her radio back on.

"I've apprehended the fox Sir."

An eerie silence crept by as she waited for her response.

A buzz from her radio soon tuned in "Good work Hopps, keep him where you are while I get reinforcements to close in."

Acknowledging that her night would be over soon, she took a deep breath of relief. But something in the back of her mind still bothered her. She wanted something more, she wanted no mistakes.

Then it hit her.

Before she even heard the radio signal again, Judy holstered her taser and called once again "Sir, I can bring him to the gate."

A long silence settled in, she was unsure if she was too late, or if he wouldn't approve of her decision.

"As you wish."

Hearing the chief, she needed to get them both out of the area quickly. Though he was by far heavier than she was, she was too resourceful let anything stop her.

She walked up to the sleeping and slumped over fox; seeing the dart still sticking out of his shoulder, she twisted and pulled it out, drawing a few drops of blood that barely stained his already red jumpsuit.

After placing the used needle in the chamber of the dart gun, she reached down to grab the capture net still stuck under Nick.

"Come on you!"

She tugged harshly at the material, feeling it give way as Nick rolled to his side with an audible zap from his collar again.

With the net in hand, she shook it out, and laid it back on the ground fully unfolded. She still had to transport Nick, and for her this would be the hard part.

"Here goes..."

She started by tugging at Nick's tail; never having to haul someone herself, she made things up as she went along. After no more than a few seconds, she felt a strange tingling coursing through her arms.

"Ah!" She snapped back, now mindful that she would endanger herself from the foxes collar without insulation of sorts.

Noting this, she tried again. This time, she grabbed Nick by his jumpsuit and dragged him over the net with all the difficulties that came from bearing dead weight.

Huffing from the effort, she reached down and grabbed a corner of the net. She knew how to get back to the gate, but was mindful of one last stop she needed to make.

"Still need to get the other net."

She sighed, dragging Nick with her as she made her way through the town.

To her, it wasn't too difficult to handle. She was far stronger than she looked, and more experienced than most on the force. But something burned deep inside her about why she wanted to personally transport the fox.

She could feel the weightiness of the net in tow while dragging it closely behind her.

He was among one of the smaller predator species that she had to deal with on a daily basis, but by far he was the craftiest.

Having grabbed the other used net on her way out, Judy could see the familiar flash of red and blue lights as she marched up to the gate of Little Rodentia.

Dozens of officers raced towards her, each saluting or cheering her on for the capture.

Having her work complete, she removed her helmet and heard the faint sound of her radio signaling.

"Well done Hopps, this may just put you a step closer to being a Huntress."

Judy watched as the squads worked together. Some walking around her and dragging Nick with them to the closest vehicle, others calling dispatch and heading to other parts of their great city.

"Thanks Chief," Judy responded, making her way towards her squad car and soon enough her home "Hopps Out."

* * *

With the next few chapters (until 7 which will be posted soon) being re-uploads, I'm truly sorry, but I wanted to do this sooner than later to make it a much lighter load to read. I just wanted it to be something you could pick up and read in a few minutes rather than try to squeeze in time to read.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other in your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or P.M. me. I feel as thought I'm writing a lot more these days.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, fave and follow. If you want to keep up with the story fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to pass me a P.M... More to come soon.

Till Next Time DLW.


	3. Home

Hey all, DLW here. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews (helps me think more so thank you all)!Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.)

 **A note to all my readers out there.** I wanted to try something different with this story and found that... the long story type can be a little intimidating. With some chapters being about... 12-17k words in length, I wanted to try shortening them by a bit. With that being said, the first... 6 chapters are going to be reuploaded pieces of the first two chapters. So starting at chapter **7** is all new content. So I apologize to anyone of my readers that see the first few chapters and are confused as to why I've re-uploaded it with some tweaks. **TLDR** ; slightly shorter chapters to make reading easier, fun, and dramatic.

* * *

**Prologue**

'Home'

* * *

[August 17, 'Judy's appartment' 11:21 PM]

'[Breaking News] Giving you an update on the breaking news development in, Little Rodenita, the ZPD have managed to capture the latest in escaped-'

"Long night." Judy said to herself, fitting on her pajamas while she yawned and stretched; catching the last in the line news before bed.

She had recently gotten back to her apartment and taken a much-needed shower. Having pursued a wanted criminal through the night, she wanted none of the days mud on her paws any longer.

It was small studio apartment that she moved into a while back when she became a lieutenant. Though she was skeptical at first, but it was more comfortable than the tiny closet she used to put up with.

Sporting egg-shelled sheetrock and hardwood flooring it wasn't a bad fit for her. While she hadn't had need for much more than a bed now a days, the added space kept her mind at ease from some of the harder times she had.

The most notable part of the apartment was her desk. Riddled with: papers, photos, books and her most prized pen in the shape of a carrot.

Per her routine every night, she walked over to the desk and flipped on her lamp. She then pulled out one of the notebooks she had carefully placed in order.

Her ear twitched as she heard the tv.

'In other news Mayor Swinton's decision for Apex Law and Medical to terminate tame collar keys in favor of a new system has been heavily affected by criminal offender Nicholas Wilde, more on this when we-'

"Dumb fox." she huffed, cutting the tv off and turning back to her notebook.

She carefully turned to a recent page that she had organized for today; picking up her carrot pen, she began to write.

'I chased down that fox again today. Hopefully he's gone for good now.'

Hearing nothing but the constant scribble of the pen and rain hitting her window, she recalled small details about her task that day. It was never anything with too much detail, just what she wanted to remember in general.

'They're still the most difficult pred for me to face, and all I can see is.'

Feeling her ears droop and breathing increase, she reached her ear with her right hand and grit her teeth. She couldn't finish the sentence.

Gazing at the paper and tapping her fingers on the desk, she felt a heaviness about the words that she couldn't complete.

With a slight pause and shake of her head, she continued.

'Still doing my best to keep the city safe, but is it enough I wonder?'

Not able to answer this question, she wrote more.

'Maybe Bogo's right, I might become a hunter.'

Satisfied with her writing and yawning once more, Judy closed her notebook, placed the pen atop it and shut off the lamp.

She got up from her desk and walked over to her bed, practically flopping on it from sheer exhaustion. Knowing full well she'd get up and do something similar the next day.

Feeling sleep hit her in waves, she reached to her only nightstand light.

But before she could cut it off, a solitary picture in a silver frame stood staring back at her.

Her hand never wavering, nor her gaze averted, she took one long look at the people in the frame. The image alone made her eyes sting and her ear started to burn.

"Never again."

She cut off the light quickly in hopes to snuff out the image before her.

As an added measure, she turned away, hoping that she could at least have a few hours of sleep.

"Ever."

* * *

With the next few chapters (until 7 which will be posted soon) being re-uploads, I'm truly sorry, but I wanted to do this sooner than later to make it a much lighter load to read. I just wanted it to be something you could pick up and read in a few minutes rather than try to squeeze in time to read.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other in your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or P.M. me. I feel as thought I'm writing a lot more these days.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, fave and follow. If you want to keep up with the story fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to pass me a P.M... More to come soon.

Till Next Time DLW.


	4. Office Life

Hey all, DLW here. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews (helps me think more so thank you all)! Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.)

 **A note to all my readers out there.** I wanted to try something different with this story and found that... the long story type can be a little intimidating. With some chapters being about... 12-17k words in length, I wanted to try shortening them by a bit. With that being said, the first... 6 chapters are going to be reuploaded pieces of the first two chapters. So starting at chapter **7** is all new content. So I apologize to anyone of my readers that see the first few chapters and are confused as to why I've re-uploaded it with some tweaks. **TLDR** ; slightly shorter chapters to make reading easier, fun, and dramatic.

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter One: Predator and Prey

'Office Life'

* * *

"When we had first met again, tell me what did you see?"

* * *

[February 4, 'ZPD Precinct One' 10:40 AM]

The early morning sunlight cast itself on the rough face of the city's most active police department. Though dimmed by the overcasting clouds, there was still enough radiance to show how prestigious the ZPD truly was.

The building itself never resting, always in motion with the constant bustling of various officers. They each had a duty to uphold; a city to protect, and lives to serve.

Some such members of the force raced to their vehicles, quickly answering to the numerous calls of distressed civilians; though now more frequent as of late.

Others, however, were confined to the halls of their establishment. No rush was present in much of their activity; paperwork and research was their lot for a time, they were the pen to the sword in various issues.

Once such officer, returning to her cubical, was among this crew today.

Large and lumbering, she walked by many of the others with a bright smile despite the time of day. Each step she made sent small trembles through the ground that shook papers and jostled numerous objects from any nearby surface.

She was an elephant, stout and jolly. Proudly clad in her blue uniform like any other, she spoke and waved hello with hand or trunk to anyone that looked her way.

There was, however, one that she dared not think to offer this friendly gesture as she passed the next row of desks.

"Good morning lieutenant." She bellowed, her voice deep yet still feminine.

Sitting there just before her in a grey cubical of her own, her comrade looked away from various works spewn about with a startled smiled.

The space, plain to many standards, had little furnishing save for what was provided. A beige coat hanging neatly opposite the open door would be the only extra feature

"Good morning Francine." Judy replied, tapping paper against her desk to reorganize them.

As she placed them back down, she heard a deep resounding chuckle. One that sounded like a mixture of laughter and a brass instrument.

Francine's voice echoed through the cubical. "Did I scare ya' again?"

With nervous laughter, Judy scratched her hair and smiled.

"Nah, just too focused."

She didn't know how often the elephant managed to sneak up on her, she had near perfect hearing. Nonetheless, Judy was thoroughly impressed that she forgot to listen to Francine's footsteps, they were practically impossible to miss.

A moment passed as they regained their bearings. There was more work to be done for the both of them.

Francine turned and waved with her trunk, eliciting a similar response with the wave from Judy's paw.

Mid-step away, Francine froze and looked back.

"Almost forgot," The elephant exclaimed, now hanging onto the edge of the cubical. "Any news on the missing cases, Judy?"

Somewhat unnerved about the question at hand, Judy turned to a large folder sitting at the edge of her desk. Reaching for it, she sighed and picked through its contents until she found what she was looking for.

"Not yet," She admitted, taking a single sheet of paper and handing to Francine "But this just got in."

Nimbly, and without hesitation, the elephant took hold of the paper with the end of her trunk.

After getting a good look and now with a potent scowl, Francine placed the picture just within Judy's reach.

Disgusted from the sight, she wiped her trunk on her sleeve and spoke. "Another body?"

Tapping her fingers on the picture and picking it back up, Judy looked at it once more.

"Yeah."

She gazed deep into the glossy frame of the horrifying picture. The photo of a crime scene taken not too long ago, depicted a solitary slain wolf.

There he lay, eyes long glossed over; muzzled with speckles of blood seeping from wounds around his mouth, his collar soaked a deep red that pooled down to his shirt and onto the ground below.

The wolf's hands were tied behind his back, seemingly bent in awkward directions. His pants bore scattered stained gashes as if cut by some kind of tool.

There were several other wounds and bruises heavily scattered throughout making it impossible to determine what had truly killed him.

Yet most distinct of all his injuries was the absence of much of the wolf's tail.

"Another pred missing his tail." With a huff, she placed the picture back into the folder and neatly aligned set it at the edge of her desk.

She stared at it a moment longer, the case itself no more than a reminder of ongoing strings of violence in their fair city.

In moments, Judy heard Francine shift and stretch.

"What do you think, Hopps?" She yawned, raising her trunk and curling it just below the ceiling.

"It's a wolf," Judy yawned, having seen her comrade contagiously do so. "So probably some rival pack."

She had seen wolf packs upset with each other before, her being on the force for years gave her that experience a hand full of times. So, naturally, she would have been of the first to see the outcome.

"Think its got something to do with the others?" Francine replied, nearly on the verge of a second wave of yawning.

Judy tore her gaze away, not wanting to be affected by the elephants actions again and pondered the action.

"No, this is a weapon," She stated, replaying recent crime scenes over and over in her head. "Sharp teeth are better for that kind of work."

Confused, Francine scratched her head. "We should be able to nab em' right?"

In turn, Judy shook her head; ears raising once more. "We can't, not without evidence."

Not willing to admit defeat, the elephant continued, noting several sections of their law.

"How about under conspiracy?" She added, clasping her hands together and wrapping her trunk around them for comical effect.

Judy's ear twitched from hearing this, she had known Francine to think of various creative ways to capture criminals. Sometimes she made a 'guessing' game of sorts about it, and she would never give up.

Imaginative as she was, Judy shrugged her shoulders "We'd need to prove it."

Back to where she began, Francine mentally thumbed over each section. Varying branches of legal banter still struck her as foreign, but the few she did know were used quite often.

"What about, pack behavior?" Francine thought aloud, leaning on Judy's cubical and yielding a slight creaking noise with it. "The Predation Clause says we can at least question his buds."

Judy, firstly hearing the creak of her cubicle about to come crashing in on her, slid her chair back and grit her teeth in fear of the worst.

Seeing this reaction and quickly realizing the danger of being an elephant in a small office, Francine lifted her arms away from the cubical; not before finding a very well bent piece of the material invading the already limited space.

No longer in danger, Judy met Francine's nervous smile with a quizzical stare.

"He was alone according to the report," Judy replied, scratching the small patch of her hair. "And found in the middle of the street like that."

"Let me guess," Francine started, taking step back, not allowing herself to lean against anything this time. "No witnesses?"

Before she could respond, a loud chime sang its way past them.

Twitching her ear and focusing on the source of the sound, Judy found her cell phone alarm going off. Quickly, she silenced it and stood up from her desk.

She grabbed the envelope, her phone and several other objects before pulling her coat down from the cubical wall.

"No clue, but if it is them we'll get them soon." Judy replied, fixing her coat sleeves and making her way towards the hall.

Watching her superior move towards her, Francine stood to the side; though not by much more than a few inches.

"I'll catch up later," Judy said, sliding by the small space of the hall. "The chief wants me to meet him over at the prison in an hour."

Having had Judy walk past her, Francine resumed her stance and wondered. "Aren't you running early?"

Pacing forward to her next destination, Judy called back. "Not early enough."

Now curious as to what was truly going on, Francine asked. "Why?"

Stopping on a single step and feeling herself nearly jump with excitement, Judy spun around with gleam in her eyes that even she thought impossible.

And with a wide grin she boasted. "A hunter wants to work with us."

With an audibly explosive gasp, Francine brought her trunk up in a futile attempt to silence herself.

Turning about and walking towards the exit, Judy waved goodbye. "See you later Officer Francine."

Watching Judy walk off, Francine waved back with a giddiness in her voice. "Take care Lieutenant Hunter Hopps."

* * *

"At first, I didn't see you, only my goal in mind."

* * *

With the next few chapters (until 7 which will be posted soon) being re-uploads, I'm truly sorry, but I wanted to do this sooner than later to make it a much lighter load to read. I just wanted it to be something you could pick up and read in a few minutes rather than try to squeeze in time to read.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other in your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or P.M. me. I feel as thought I'm writing a lot more these days.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, fave and follow. If you want to keep up with the story fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to pass me a P.M... More to come soon.

Till Next Time DLW.


	5. Chains and Stripes

Hey all, DLW here. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews (helps me think more so thank you all)! Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.)

 **A note to all my readers out there.** I wanted to try something different with this story and found that... the long story type can be a little intimidating. With some chapters being about... 12-17k words in length, I wanted to try shortening them by a bit. With that being said, the first... 6 chapters are going to be reuploaded pieces of the first two chapters. So starting at chapter **7** is all new content. So I apologize to anyone of my readers that see the first few chapters and are confused as to why I've re-uploaded it with some tweaks. **TLDR** ; slightly shorter chapters to make reading easier, fun, and dramatic.

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter One: Predator and Prey

'Chains and Stripes'

* * *

"When we had first met again, tell me what did you see?"

* * *

[February 4, 'Savannah Central Prison' 11:21 AM]

"Name?"

The grunted voice of a boar echoed throughout the concrete corridor, focused on the only other mammal present behind the caged window.

"Lieutenant Judy Hopps." She answered, brandishing her badge under the dim fluorescent lighting that the room had to offer.

She had recently arrived at Zootopia's largest prison, not wasting her time in traffic or making any stops. She had gotten there early to make sure she was ready to meet this hunter, she wanted no mistakes.

The boar leaned forward for his inspection, glancing every now and then to the small rabbit that clutched it fiercely.

With her added office as lieutenant, she made it a point to never show weakness. To some, she looked intimidating just by wearing her overcoat.

Nodding in satisfaction, and understanding the reputation of the name, he reached to his side and pressed a large red and white button.

A loud buzz sounded; firstly perking up Judy's ears slightly and lastly unlatching a door by the side of the guard-post.

"Proceed." He said gruffly, returning to whatever busy work a lone guard could with nothing to do.

Nodding in affirmation, Judy walked towards the unlocked door and pulled it open. It was far heavier than it seemed, but it was fashioned that way to keep inmates in and others out.

Grunting as she felt the massive door give way to a long set of corridors, Judy made her way inside.

As she released the door from the inside, it slammed shut and echoed dozens of times before dissipating just past barely lit hallways.

She could hear the faint sounds that the prison had to offer at this point: the buzz of light fixtures, the eerie sound of cells being opened or closed, and the constant sound of riotous prisoners.

Huffing and adjusting the paperwork clutched in her hand, she briskly walked the corridor.

Row upon row of doors sat on either side of her, each as gloomy as the next. Dreary walls, ungraciously flaked with remnants of paint long past its glory days.

The most constant companion she had was the clicking of her toes on the hardened ground. Is resonance alone broke the mundane silence she acclimated herself to so far.

Near halfway down the hall, however, a different sound bound its way towards her ears. The steady clop of a mammal far larger than her belittled and bested even the heaviest taps that her feet could offer.

Just further ahead, she could see a massive figure. Nearly half the width of the hallway and seemingly thrice as menacing as she herself, a lone buffalo strode towards her and stopped by one of the many heavy metal doors.

A smile worked its way across her face as she stood at attention so salute.

"Good afternoon, Chief." Judy exclaimed.

In almost similar fashion, her superior raised his arm as well. Though his voice was arguably much louder than hers. "You as well, Hopps."

Having stood there for a moment, Bogo waived Judy forward. Immediately she raced towards her commanding officer, nearly dropping her files as she did so.

Having reached his side and seeing a smirk on Bogo's face, Judy asked. "So, what does this hunter want?"

A long worn scar ran down his right eye, his grey pupil focusing intently on her

Having her there, Bogo turned to open the door and answered. "He specifically wanted to meet you."

Now confused about the purpose of them being there, Judy pondered the situation. On one hand, she desperately waned to meet this hunter. But on the other, she asked why would anyone meet theme in jail.

She had to know. "Why at the prison?" She asked, walking through the door and being met with a fairly large and well laid out room.

It seemed out of place in the prison as it was relatively well decorated with a fresh coat of deep green paint and hardwood floors. The overhead lighting seemed new, and several chairs sat facing different directions around an ornate table.

Closing the door after they both entered, Bogo closed the door and sat down in one of the chairs at the edge of the table.

"He has a proposition for you," He replied, hearing the creak of his chair and pointing for Judy to sit in the seat opposite of him. "And a lead for us here."

The word 'proposition' rang through Judy's head. Her nose nervously twitched a little, faintly catching whiffs of strong coffee with each breath.

She walked over to the chair that Bogo requested her to sit in and jumped into it. After

"Okay," She started hesitantly, she had only ever seen hunters in the news, never in person. "So who is he?"

This is another reason as to why she wanted to be there early, she needed as much detailed information as possible. And being prompt was always a plus in her book.

Bogo chuckled at her question, he pointed to the chair facing away from them at the end of the table and answered. "See for yourself."

Judy's eyes followed suit to Bogo's direction. Curious as to why he would point to an empty chair, she raised a brow.

Not but a moment later, she could hear the familiar sound that one would make when sipping.

"You're running a little bit late." An unfamiliar voice called, startling Judy as she had no idea someone else was in the room with them.

"Late?" Judy shouted, never in her life had she been accused of being late for anything more than her own birthday party.

Seeing her reaction, Bogo began to laugh. He shook his head at the comment, knowing full well his lieutenants habit of being prompt.

Feeling out of the loop, Judy began to ask. "Who are-"

"Yep, I had time to stop and pick up some paperwork," The voice interrupted, only this time the chair slowly turned slowly to face them. A rabbit sat with a gleeful smile, cautiously rocking a cup of coffee in his hand. "And my second prescription for the day."

At the sight, Judy stared on starstruck.

He was slightly taller than Judy and bore the same fur color. While he didn't have a police uniform, he was suited instead with a black vest and striped tie that ran up to meet his white folded collar.

His amber colored eyes shown with experience and skill. The black lines that raced across his ears matched with the unmistakable black tiger stripe markings that embellished his cheek fur.

"You're-" Judy whispered, bringing her paws up to silence herself. She nearly felt herself jump out of her seat.

Noting her reaction, the rabbit placed his coffee down grinned. He had been always been one for style.

"Jack Savage," He exclaimed with a wink while adjusting his tie. "On duty from FERAL."

Judy's face froze with excitement, she... didn't know what to do.

Reading the room, Jack turned to Bogo with a mini salute of his own.

"Chief."

The buffalo only grunted in return. And all Jack could do was sigh, Bogo didn't have as much of a charismatic attitude as he did.

He then turned to his other acquaintance.

"And you must be... Judy... Hopps, right?" He asked, rolling his wrist to draw out the drama of his actions.

Hearing her name, her ears stood at attention. She thought of what she could say, but the only thing she could immediately do was salute.

Eyeing her questionably, Jack began to smirk.

"Relax, Hopps." He replied, reaching again for his coffee. "I don't do formal."

He paused for a moment to think, sipping his drink occasionally as he did so. "Aside from the suit, mostly."

Upon his word, Judy lowered her hands and shyly scratched her hair.

Bogo, having witnessed the two for long enough, pushed his chair away and began walking towards the door. Having his Lieutenant still in awe, he huffed. "Are you finished having your fun, Jack?"

Jack shifted his eyes in Bogo's direction, now watching as the buffalo pointed to his wrist repeatedly. With a sigh, he turned and hopped from his chair.

"Yeah, yeah." He answered, taking his coffee with him and a revealing small envelope that he was now holding.

As he made his way towards the Chief, he noticed something was still amiss. With a wave of his hand, he asked. "You following Hopps?"

He didn't even need to turn around as he could hear the sounds of a chair being abandoned and the scurry of toes clacking against the hardwood.

In an instant, Judy appeared next to him with an oddly placed set of facial features. It was somewhere between a grin, a smile, and what one would say would be overjoyed excitement.

Jack shook his head and walked out the door, Judy following suit.

As they left, and back into the hallway, Bogo lead them to their next spot. Their walk was nowhere near quiet, though Bogo's footsteps were the heaviest of them, Judy's hopps of excitement were now almost as loud.

There were so many questions that Judy had, and she was going to ask them all.

"Chief, you know Jack Savage?!" She shouted out of sheer excitement, never taking her eye off her role-model.

"Nope, he doesn't." Jack would answer, never letting Bogo give his insight.

Taken aback at the response, Judy lowered her giddiness just enough to ask. "Huh?"

Jack had been focusing forward the whole time until now, seeing this unique opportunity arise, he couldn't help himself.

"I said he doesn't know Jack." He answered with laugh, netting him a questionable look from Judy and a huff from Bogo.

The group stopped walking as soon as his joke was spoken. Now somewhat dismayed that nobody even laughed a little, Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"Savage..." Bogo stated, turning around and pointing his thumb at a door just behind him. "He's in there for you."

The door itself wasn't as heavyset as the others. It was still made of metal, but had a much lighter feel and varying latches for different sized mammals.

Breathing deeply that he wasn't about to be jailed about the joke, Jack walked forward and turned to meet the Chief eye to calve and above.

Waving 'goodbye', he put on a more serious tone. "Thanks Chief, I'll take it from here."

Bogo merely nodded in confirmation and walked away. His pace wasn't hurried, but definitely not slow. In a few seconds he was out of sight, and in a few more the opening and shutting metal left the two rabbits alone.

Judy, having watched the Chief leave, now turned to Jack. Being just them, she had even more questions now. She had to start somewhere, and one question still burned in her mind.

Gathering her wits about her, she asked. "W-why did you request me?"

"Simple." Jack said flatly. Not a feature of him moved in response.

Awkwardly the two stood there, though one had hoped for more of an answer. She was too nervous, she straightened her stance and tried again.

"Okay, what?" Judy requested, shrugging her shoulders in near frustration.

Now intrigued, Jack brought his free hand under his chin and spoke "Our agency, 'More so my boss, now that I think of it' has seen your potential."

Judy's eyes went wide at the realization of what he could be asking. This could be a change for her career.

"And," Jack continued, now waiving the envelope just before him. "We wanted to know if you could help us-"

"Solve the case!" Judy exclaimed, far louder than she thought she could. Her voice rang through the corridor loud enough to alert any danger to them.

"Yes that," Jack spoke, scratching his ear, feeling a ringing slowly subside. "And maybe become a hunter."

Judy could feel her heart racing. 'A Hunter' Her mind spoke over and over again. Her hard work would have paid itself in full, challenges in all.

She held her breath, stared Jack dead in the eye and answered. "Okay, I'll do it."

A warm smile shone from Jack, he sipped his coffee and turned to the door.

"Good, then you'll be temporarily assisting me."

He reached for the door handle; finding one his size and removing the latch, he stopped just before prying the door open.

He turned around to find Judy standing stalwart with her eyes affixed to the door. He had a few more things to settle.

"And don't worry about the Chief." Jack advised, he let go of the door for a moment, hearing a light slam from it and the latches lock in place. "He's already given the okay for you to answer to us for the time being."

Forgetting that she was still under the command of the ZPD, Judy was relieved. As she would be instated temporarily, she could do more for the citizens potentially.

That being settled, Judy had a few more pressing questions. "So, who's your lead?"

Jack, having just taken a sip of his coffee, nearly choked when he heard the question.

He tried to clear his throat several times and regain his stance before Judy walked over with a concerned look about her.

"Well..." He coughed, taking a step back and waving his hand for her to pause.

Having successfully gotten the sting of coffee out of lungs, Jack turned to the door again. He knew this was coming.

"He's uh- someone you should be..." Jack stammered, unlatching the door again and pulling it open. "Acquainted with?"

Curiosity peaked, Judy ran thousands of possibilities in her head. She had hundreds of arrests, each with unique qualities. But she wondered none the less, who it was.

With the door now out of their way, Judy could see the interior of the room.

It stark contrast, the room wasn't ornate like the other. It had concrete flooring with the ceiling to match. Whitewashed walls dimmed with the flashing of a single fluorescent light. Though one wall was fit with a small reflective glass window.

The center of the room set with a simple metal table of their size, and three matching chairs surrounding it. One of the chairs, however, to Judy's dismay was occupied.

Upon realizing who this mystery 'lead' was, grunted in anger.

"'Sweet cheese and crackers,' Not him again!" Judy shouted, her voice echoed in and out of the small interrogation room and caught more than one pair of ears.

Sitting just there in his red jumpsuit: muzzle set, collar green, and handcuffed to the table, Nick nonchalantly eyed them back.

Judy wasn't expecting this, she didn't see the need for them to meet the fox again.

She grabbed Jack by the shoulder with one hand and pointed with the other; yelling "What do we need him for?!"

Somewhat expecting retaliation, Jack reached for Judy's paw. He needed her help, but knew it wouldn't be easy.

With a calming tone and displacing demeanor, he spoke "We have reason to believe that he's somehow connected to the recent string of disappearances."

Feeling Judy's grip lessen, Jack followed through. "So, we'll need him for a little info."

Upon hearing this, Judy let Jack go, feeling her arms heavily fall to her side. She wanted this over quickly, being in the same room as the fox worried her to no end.

"Have a seat." Jack's voice startled her for a moment. She darted her eyes over to where he was, now motioning for her to sit in the empty chair opposite of the chained and smiling fox.

Enraged beyond reason she now felt slightly sickened. She clutched her hands, held her breath, folded her arms, and walked over. This to her was a nightmare.

She didn't feel as though she could be there for so long, dozens of things could happen to her around the fox. She was strong even without her gear, but Jack would be her only ally if things got out of hand.

"Good afternoon." Jack's voice, though subtle and peaceful, startled Judy.

She didn't remember sitting in the chair or even handing her papers over. Her eyes landed everywhere, focusing on anything but the fox.

Jack noticed this minor detail, but had to continue for all their sakes. He turned his attention to Nick for now.

"Sorry to drag you here and away from your cage, but we have a bit of a dilemma." He began, getting a strange look from Nick, but never turning away.

Folding his hands together, he questioned. "Do you know why you're here with us today?"

Nick eyed him carefully, still unsure as to why anyone had need of him. He could only shake his head in response.

Expecting this answer, Jack opened his envelope and took several papers out. He laid them out neatly before them and singled out one.

Taking a moment to ensure that it was correct, he began to review the file.

Jack read from the dossier sheet.

"Name: Nicholas Piberius Wilde, Age: 32, Weight: 80lbs, Height: 4ft, Occupation before arrest: Veterinarian, Reason for arrest: Violation of the Predation Clause [all major sections with minor violations included]."

Taking a pause, Jack looked up to see Nick avert his stare. The slight smile he had when they first walked in had long since faded.

He then continued.

"Family: John Wilde [Father 'Escaped from prison'] and Rose Wilde [Mother 'Unknown'], Friends: Unknown, Current status: imprisoned '10 to life', Infractions: Fighting with other inmates 'added penalties', Medical history: Varying bruise-."

"I didn't get into a fight." Nick interrupted, rattling his cuffs slightly and catching the attention of both rabbits.

Jack sat still calmly, but Judy shuddered anticipating any kind of violent action. They needed to be ready to spring to action at a moments notice.

Jack, looking at the report once more, laid it on the table and slid it over to Nick. Silence swept through their gathering as Nick read it over, clumsily clutching the paper with cuffs around his wrists.

"That's not what the report says." Jack spoke out, having given Nick enough time to understand this issue. "Which is why, I'm guessing, you're still in that muzzle."

Upon hearing this statement, Nick felt his blood boil. He didn't even hear the beep of his collar.

"I NEVER got into a fight!" he yelled, feeling the cold metal of his muzzle and earning him a jolt of familiar pain.

Judy was the first of the pair to react. She leapt out of her seat with speed she didn't even realize. She would be ready to fight, she could only hope Jack would do the same.

Jack, however, remained motionless. His experience lead him to a different solution.

"Is something wrong?" Jack asked with a tone of concern in his voice. Though he was speaking to Nick, Judy would be the first to answer.

"I'm fine." She said, readying a stance just in case.

Jack shook his head and rubbed the back of his head at her antics. He continued to ask. "Are you alright, Nick?"

Having recovered, though coughing slightly from the pain of his predicament, Nick eyed Jack.

He didn't believe that Jack was talking to him, not that it mattered much. He didn't even think to answer, but had no better solution.

With a sigh, he shut his eyes and admitted. "I don't like muzzles, alright."

The room fell silent, neither side getting what they wanted. Only light breaths and the slightest sound of Nick's cuffs could be heard.

Seeing her enemy in a state of weakness, Judy grit her teeth and walked back to her seat. She had a job to do, they needed information.

"Too bad," She stated quickly, her face turning to nothing short of a scowl. "Now talk."

Witnessing the actions of the rabbit, Nick once again regained his grin. Though he was upset about his situation, he tried to make light of it.

"Sure officer, I'd be happy to talk if you took this off." He said, every word seething with sarcasm.

Her rank demeaned and his freedom flaunted, Judy clutched her hands and cautioned him. "That's lieutenant to you fox, and you'll keep that thing on so long as we're here!"

She wanted him to know that they were in charge, that her position wouldn't be tarnished at the likes of him. Deep down, she wanted him to keep the muzzle for life.

Jack, watching the two fight like children, decided it was time for him to act. He stood up and casually strode over to Nick.

Being mere inches away from what would be a terrifying predator, he asked. "Let's say you didn't have a muzzle, would you help us then?"

To gesture, Nick knew that the rabbit was just trying to gain ground on their case by promising him something impossible. But not passing up the opportunity to have fun, Nick smiled and nodded.

He bore his teeth, full view for either of them to see. He was a dangerous predator after all, and no sane rabbit would want to be near him.

'Liar.' Judy said under her breath, now wary of the danger Nick's teeth posed. But she knew that Jack wouldn't very well attempt to remove the safety measure.

"Very well" Jack clarified, moving just behind Nick and out of view. "Hold still."

The clank of metal was all that was needed to elicit a gasp from Judy and Nick alike. They couldn't believe what was happening.

Judy felt her voice grow weak as she cried out. "Jack wait, don't-"

She reached her hand forward only to see Jack moving around to Nick's side, pulling the straps over his ears and bringing the metallic cage with it. Neither expected this, Nick was free of his muzzle.

Placing the contraption atop the table and dusting off his hands, Jack had to ask. "Better?"

Nick stared at him dumbfounded. He was going to make a joke of Jack's attempt to trick him, but that trick never came.

His eyes focused on Jack who simply smiled back at him. He had but one thing to say.

"And the handcuffs?" He said, grinning and flashing his teeth even more than a moment ago.

Jack could only shrug and walk back to his seat.

"Sorry Slick Nick," He answered, reaching for his files and a sip of his coffee. "I'm not allowed to do that."

Nick rolled his eyes, now slightly more comfortable and sighed. "Eh, worth a try."

Coffee cup down, and having rummaged through the organized papers, Jack pulled out a select few that he began to review. Each one being slid behind the others while he took care to find anything out of order.

Satisfied, Jack pushed the small stack of photos over to Nick and asked him. "First off, have you ever seen anything like this?"

Taking the photos in his paws, Nick began his review of them as well. Though after the first picture, he slammed the stack on the table and turned away in disgust.

"Ugh." He gagged, nearly dry heaving and earning a strange look from Judy.

Surprised at Nick's reaction, and watching as he slid the photos back, Judy was curious.

"What?" She asked, reaching for the photos. Their contents had been no different from the ones she had seen at the precinct earlier.

Still clearing his mind of the image, Nick grimaced. "Never liked the sight of blood."

Unable to rationalize his behavior, Judy called him out on it. "B-but you're a predator!"

Though she got a strange and disgusted stare from Nick, Jack had other questions in mind. He leaned back in his seat, lightly tapping his paw against the table.

"Weren't you a vet?" He asked in an indifferent manner, getting a look of bewilderment from Nick.

The feeling of nausea leaving him, Nick took a deep breath and spoke. "I am both, but neither of those mean that I like seeing blood."

Correcting both of them, Nick felt slightly more relaxed. He had as many questions as they did, but didn't know why they chose him.

Leaning back in his chair and turning his head aside, he wondered. "Why do you want me to help?"

Without much of an expression, Jack pointed down to a few papers sitting in front of him. "Because we believe your theme park may have had something to do with the killings."

"How?!" Nick shot back, quicker than he usually did now that he could be involved in murder.

A well-timed buzz and flicker of the lighting helped set the dreary tone of Jack's voice. "We've received calls about missing predators, many of which we've found have been near you."

It took a few seconds for the realization to set in.

"Nearly every pred visited my theme park." Nick faced down, staring at his cuffs for a moment, he had to prove himself. "I'd have no clue if someone was targeting them."

Jack lifted his hands away from the paper. Finally feeling as though they were getting somewhere, he placed his coffee back on the table "We want to ensure that we've covered all bases. So, do you know of any information that could help us solve this?"

Looking up, Nick thought of the very first thing that came to mind. "Any pred that came through there had their collar taken off temporarily."

As he was sure they were familiar with his process, there wasn't anything that he could truly hide from them that wasn't already common knowledge. "Owned and operated underground, you know, the usual way to make ends meet for a pred."

Nick smiled at the last bit. He was genuinely proud of the work he was able to accomplish in the past few years.

Jack, meanwhile, folded his hands and nodded. "Mhm, we already know how you were charged under the predation clause for conspiracy."

He shrugged his shoulders and elaborated. "Is there anything that we've overlooked from the last search?"

Not the least bit surprised that more info was sought, Nick tilted his head towards Judy. "Nothing that you didn't already take in your raid."

Meeting the fox eye to eye made Judy's blood boil. She was doing her job when they raided the illegal compound, and given the chance she'd do it all over again.

Clearing his throat, Jack had another question to ask. "Are there any records that we can use that weren't given to us, such as your medical files?"

Nick felt himself chuckle a little at this.

"Well, the medical files would be useless." He began, bringing his paws up to scratch the side of his neck. "That's only for my actual patients."

"And these weren't?" Jack asked, perplexed that something like that could have gone amiss.

Nick shrugged his shoulders. "They were guests, they would be written in the guest book."

He shifted his eyes to either rabbit, patiently waiting for some kind of response.

Judy, in this case, would be the first to speak. "We searched that place from top to bottom and didn't find anything like that."

She remembered their raid. The panic in the predators eyes and the flash of their fangs. Her goal was to arrest Nick while her team swept the area. The search team gave her a rundown of everything confiscated, a 'guestbook' wasn't in the inventory.

"That's because it was hidden." Nick admitted, knowing full well now what they were truly asking of him. He felt as though he shouldn't reveal more, but maybe this would help him.

Jack, taking a mental note of this, leaned forward. He was determined to know. "Can you show us?"

The question made Nick more than a little nervous, though he could help them, he didn't really want to get involved.

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, thinking of the best way to approach the question. If he was going to help them, then he needed something in return.

Nervously, he began to ask. "What would I get out of it?"

The question fell upon Jack who, for all intents and purposes, wasn't the least bit surprised.

Nearly expressionless, he waved his hand as if to offer something.

"In exchange for your help, name what would you like." He bartered, gaining a cold expression from Judy.

Nick hadn't expected this, but he didn't truly want to get his hopes up. He thought for what seemed to be minutes, not a word was spoken as he mumbled and shifted his eyes in every direction.

'Now or never.' He told himself, finally contemplating his exchange.

With a deep breath and somber look in his eyes, he lifted his hands still bearing his cuffs. "Freedom," His voice weak and monotone, still clung onto some shred of hope. "The chance to prove I'm innocent."

For a brief few seconds, the only noise heard from any of them was the rattle and shake of the chain as Nick placed his hands back to the table.

Soon, however, Jack could be heard clapping his hands together.

"Great, we can give you that." He said, reaching into his vest and pulling out a pen he had hidden in his sleeve's pocket.

It gleamed amber and black, somehow matching to Jack's appearance.

He picked through the papers and found a single sheet, separating it from the others, he placed the pen down upon it.

He then looked Nick dead in the eye, for he had one thing to say.

"However, you'd need to be-" He began, grimacing at something he had left in their deal.

Nick awaited what Jack was trying to say, he was going to be granted freedom, but knew that there would be some catch.

"Yes?" He asked, preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

Jack, unable to keep his focus, felt his ears drop as he turned away from both Nick and Judy.

Feeling himself loose a heavy sigh, he finally explained. "Fitted with... a red-band."

Without notice, the table began to shake slightly, alerting the attention of both rabbits. The source of the phenomenon was quite clear to them as Nick visibly shook in terror.

"W-what?!" He said meekly, blinking rapidly and feeling overheated. He never even heard the beep of his collar changing color.

Before Jack could speak another word, Judy cut in.

"A kill collar, fox." She informed, never once moving a muscle as she knew what that meant for him.

His fear quickly turning to anger, Nick shouted. "I know what a red-band is carrots!"

Upon doing so, Nick's collar turned red once more. Not a mammal in the room missed hearing him bark in writhe in momentary pain.

His experience only lasted a second, but he received a horrifying look from Jack and a stern stare from Judy.

"What did you call me?" Judy asked, ignoring the fact that her enemy managed to shock himself again.

Nick panted heavily, this was an everyday part of his life. But he wasn't prepared to hear the words 'Kill Collar' and him in the same sentence.

Regaining his composure, looking between the two contrasting rabbits he mumbled. "Forget it, I-i'm not wearing that deathtrap."

Jack, in a need pacify the situation, calmly spoke. "It's for safety issues I assur-."

"Whose safety," Nick cried out, pointing to himself and hearing a faint beep. "mine?"

From the tone, he felt that he was on the verge of another harsh lesson. So he breathed in deeply and closed his eyes to try and lessen his stress levels. Several seconds later, and another beep without violent spasms, Nick leaned back in his seat and looked towards the door.

"Look, that's my life on the line." He spoke in a gloomy tone, breathing deeply and reminiscing about his life over and over again. "I've risked that to help other mammals before, but this- I can't wear it."

Jack couldn't let this go, he got out of his seat with his paper in hand and walked next to Nick. He wasn't going to risk having his only lead turn this deal down.

"It'll be alright, Nick." He spoke, placing his hand on Nick's shoulder to reassure him. "It's a standard precaution."

With a cheerful smile, and hoping to get Nick back on track with them, he waved his free hand toward Judy.

"Besides, our lieutenant here will have the key," He continued, now gaining the attention of the wide-eyed bunny. "So your life would be in good hands."

With that he pat Nick on the back and saw the fox weakly smile.

"Oh joy," Nick said sarcastically. "My life in the capable hands of carrots."

Judy's eye twitched, she hated the nickname that he had so easily given her.

Having nearly exhausted his options, Jack sighed. "Look Nick, I know you don't like it."

Before he could say more, he heard Nick mock. "Yeah, easy to say for some fluffy little bunny that never had to wear one of these."

Nick tilted his head to the side, showing his collar off to the both of them. The trademark of any predator in the city, and a constant reminder to them of their laws.

Jack, taking his hand and readjusting his tie, sat the paper and pen in front of Nick.

Grinning as he had one last ditch effort, he made his offer. "If it makes you feel any better, take a look at this agreement."

Jack tilted his head toward the aforementioned parchment and Nick slowly drew his attention to it as well.

He drearily scanned it over, line by line he read. Though he didn't admit it, half of the legal banter made less sense than most of what he had come to know. Mostly abut release notes and limited abilities.

Having had his fill, Nick turned to face Jack once more. "Okay, and?"

Jack simply eyed the last few lines of the document and tapped his pen there. "Does the signature at the bottom look familiar to you?"

Once again, Nick fixed his eyes towards the paper. Reading where Jack had pointed again, his eyes grew wide with excitement.

He couldn't believe what he had seen, so he clutched the paper and brought it closer.

"Are you serious, Snowflake signed this?" The excitement that his voice carried was only matched by the furious wag of his tail and low beep of his collar.

Jack smiled, tapping his pen above a signature line. "I don't think she'd like hearing that name."

Getting the clue, Nick carefully grabbed the pen and signed his name. Though the excitement caused him to lightly shock himself and botch his signature, he continued without thought.

Done signing, Nick handed the pen back to a cheerfully expressive bunny.

"Great, and one last signature for now." Jack said, taking the pen and paper and passing them over to Judy. "Please sign here."

In a similar fashion as he had done for Nick, Jack tapped his pen on an empty signature line.

With a horrified expression on her face, Judy stared back up at Jack. Surely he didn't mean what he said, that she would be watching after the fox.

She couldn't do that, she was a lieutenant. She hated the fox, she refused.

"I'm not signing this." Judy shouted, getting up from her seat and walking towards the door with her ears pinned down and arms crossed.

Jack sighed, he felt that this would come. He quickly turned to the reflective window and waved forward. He no longer needed to be there for what was next.

"Okay Nick, we're done here" He advised, walking towards the table to grab his belongings and catching a worried look from the fox. "The guards will be by to give you temp release info."

Hearing about his release, Nick couldn't help but smile. Though he wanted to get out of his seat and walk away, all he could do was hold his head down and whisper. "Thank you."

Nodding in affirmation, Jack walked towards his assistant who had just pushed the door open and walked out towards the hall.

"Judy!" He shouted, running to her with an empty coffee cup in one hand and various documents in the other.

He managed to slip by as the door shut, closing the fox in behind them to a more hopeful fate than what he would have without them.

Again the two rabbits were alone in the hallway, one fuming, and the other calm.

"Okay, Hopps, what's going on?" Jack asked, attempting to take a sip of his coffee only to be reminded that it was now empty. He quickly grew a scowl with his ears pinned down from his dilemma.

Gnashing her teeth, and clenching her fist to the point of nearly harming herself, Judy turned around.

"Maybe you don't understand this, but I can't work with him." She shouted, trembling slightly as Jack watched on unfazed by her outburst this time.

With her ears falling to her side and she pushed back her hair and continued. "You wouldn't understand, I can't stand foxes, I-""

"Judith Laverne Hopps." Jack began, staring her directly in her eyes with a stern and fierce look."

"Age: 28, Weight: 55lbs, Height: 3.3ft , Occupation: Police officer, Rank: Lieutenant."

She couldn't believe what he was saying. She silenced herself as she understood it to be her dossier file. But how much of it could he know, how much was disclosed.

"Family: Stu Hopps [Father 'Farmer'] and Bonnie Hopps [Mother 'Farmer'], Friends: Unknown, Current status: Employed with the ZPD, Infractions: 'None'."

Jack took a brief pause to slow down. He could see Judy begin to tremble.

"Medical history: Bite-mark on right ear," He spoke, seeing obvious fear in her eyes.

"A result of-"

"Enough!" Judy shouted, stopping him before he could recall more and more of her files.

How he managed to get ahold of her most personal information was still beyond her, but what mattered the most was that someone else knew what had happened.

After being interrupted from recalling the document, Jack slowly opened his eyes to see Judy standing there; huffing and having small tears form near the corner of her eyes.

Being left lightheaded from what Jack had said, Judy soon felt a heaviness on her shoulder that made her lift her head slightly.

There before her stood Jack, smiling warmly and trying to console her.

"Judy, you said you wanted to be a hunter," He stated, staring her in her lavender eyes and tilting his head towards the interrogation room door. "This is what it means and that's what it takes."

Feeling her shudder less and less with each passing moment, Jack released her and walked down the hall a few steps. He motioned for her to follow, but still had more to say.

"I get it," He exclaimed, hearing the slow pace of Judy behind him. "But you're not the only one in this city that's lost a lot."

The two continued down the hall, Judy's pace increasing. They passed by several doors and heard one of them open, several boars and sheep soon filed out and went towards the direction they came from.

"I've lost my family before too, my friends," Jack went on, hugging the side of the wall in order to avoid being trampled with Judy behind him. "I almost lost my partner a handful of times."

Nearing the end of the hallway with their walk relatively silent, the two came to the door Judy had first waled into at the beginning of her time at the prison. With the exit still there and waiting for them to ring a buzzer to leave, Jack turned to the slowly recovering rabbit with a few last minute things to say.

"And as for what I did for Nick, well, you'll have to sweeten the pot to get more help." Jack jested, careful not to further upset Judy.

She only gave him a rather confused stare.

He elaborated, shrugging his shoulders. "You can catch more flies with honey and what not."

Judy could only question his quote. "What?"

"You know, it takes a predator to catch a predator," He followed through, scratching his chin to remember it correctly. "Or was that it takes a perp to catch a perp?"

Biting at his lip as for the life of him he couldn't remember the full quote. Seeing it as an effort in futility, Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"Point is Nick is useful, and you'll need to take him with you for now." He further expressed, reaching for the door buzzer in their size but stopping midway.

He tore his hand away from the buzzer and with a stern voice spoke to Judy "Oh, and one more thing before I forget."

He waited for her ears to perk up and her eyes to meet his as he smiled.

"No riot gear." He stated flatly.

"Wait, what!?" Judy exclaimed.

For what seemed like the hundredth time today, Jack had found some way to endanger her life. She was beginning to wonder how he had become a hunter, and how he was even alive.

Before Judy could further protest, Jack held up his hand to silence her.

Having been successful, he clarified his request. "I say that for several good reasons: one you won't stand out like a cop, two you'll have to be more resourceful, and three because I said so."

With the last note, Judy raised her arms in frustration, she couldn't say much of anything at that point. It wouldn't be easy for her to back out as she was now under Jack's command, but he seemed a bit crazy to her now that she had finally met him.

"Well, that and it's easier to move around, gotta gather before you can hunt." Jack confessed, trying to put out the fire he knew he started. "You can't always rely on armor or weapons to save you Judy."

It didn't help much though as he could see Judy filled with what he could only perceive as unwillingness and fear.

But he assured her. "Don't worry Judy, I'll be close by often."

His assurance helped her less.

"Besides, he won't need a muzzle as he'll be wearing a kill collar." Jack added, tilting his head and curiously wondering. "Have you ever had to be around one of them that went off?"

Not being able to recall any situation that she had to personally escort a pred wearing the collar type, she shook her head.

"Not exactly." She shyly admitted. Aside from knowing what it was and reading about them, she hadn't ever seen the end results save for preds running back and begging to be taken into custody.

Adjusting his stance, Jack explained the matter. "As you know, it's a red shock collar with a timer that has to be reset."

With a nod of agreement from Judy, Jack resumed his story.

"If anyone wearing it becomes overstressed for too long, or doesn't have the timer reset-" He adjusted his tie and clenched his teeth for added effect. "Let's just say, it gets... messy."

Still standing, Jack could remember his encounters with the object.

"Apex really made a monster when they created that thing." He concluded, feeling his hand tremble. "I once saw a polar bear burst into flames from the shock when the timer ran out."

Judy's face turned sour when he said that, she had no idea of how powerful the 'Kill Collars' truly were. Still though, she knew that the device was built for her safety and that of the citizens.

Feeling that his time here was done, Jack reached into his pocket. Pulling out a small card, he walked over and handed it to Judy.

She took the card and found only a single set of numbers. Realizing that this must be his phone number, she looked up to say something, but he vanished out of sight.

"I have to oversee Nick getting his Kill Collar set." Jack called from down the hallway, somehow disappearing fro Judy's vision at remarkable speed. "Wait for him outside and call me when you get to your destination."

She had so many more questions, but not enough time to catch up to him. Now that she had to escort Nick she felt slightly sick to her stomach. Breathing deeply, she pressed the button to alert the guard station of her exiting.

"Welcome to the team, Judy!" She heard as the door buzzed in front of her.

* * *

"I saw what wrong with the world. You!"

* * *

With the next few chapters (until 7 which will be posted soon) being re-uploads, I'm truly sorry, but I wanted to do this sooner than later to make it a much lighter load to read. I just wanted it to be something you could pick up and read in a few minutes rather than try to squeeze in time to read.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other in your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or P.M. me. I feel as thought I'm writing a lot more these days.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, fave and follow. If you want to keep up with the story fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to pass me a P.M... More to come soon.

Till Next Time DLW.


	6. Parolees Wear Red

Hey all, DLW here. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews (helps me think more so thank you all)! Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.)

 **A note to all my readers out there.** I wanted to try something different with this story and found that... the long story type can be a little intimidating. With some chapters being about... 12-17k words in length, I wanted to try shortening them by a bit. With that being said, the first... 6 chapters are going to be reuploaded pieces of the first two chapters. So this will be the last reuploaded chapter, and once again I appologize for the inconvenience. **TLDR** ; slightly shorter chapters to make reading easier, fun, and dramatic.

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter One: Predator and Prey

'Parolees Wear Red'

* * *

"When we had first met again, tell me what did you see?"

* * *

[February 4, 'Outside Savannah Central Prison' 12:57 PM]

Just a while later, Judy waited at the prison gate next to her cruiser. Though she had a lot of leeway in the force, getting a smaller car wasn't something that they could easily allow. They did, however, manage to make a custom seat for her.

She tapped her toes impatiently as she still didn't want anything to do with the fox at this point.

"Where is he?" She huffed, having long since plastered a frown upon her face.

Having her focus turned towards the afternoon sky, she failed to notice any movement behind her.

"Hopps!" Judy heard, twisting her head as she knew that to be the voice of the chief.

Her eyes set on the gate, she could make out three people walking up to her.

Firstly, she saw the hulking massive figure of the chief steadily lumbering her way.

With a half wave, she saw unfamiliar antelope and the fox.

The antelope, wearing a white lab coat, smiled and waved at them before walking off. Though Judy didn't know who they were, she was still happier to see them than the next mammal in her sight.

Lastly, there was Nick of course. He was unmuzzled but now had strip of bright red fixed to his regular collar. No longer in his jumpsuit, he wore a plain green business shirt and deep green tie that matched his darker pants. He looked vastly different from what he did in the holding room as he had on a fitting grey coat and sported shaded lenses with a dark trim to boot.

Though he was wearing the kill collar and had his hands cuffed behind him, Judy still felt uncomfortable.

"Hopps." Bogo announced, walking Nick with him beside the cruiser and clutching a few things in his hand.

"Chief." Judy answered, saluting him as she did so.

"Hey there carrots!" Nick said, smiling as brightly as ever.

Choking down a series of various shouts in front of her superior, Judy spoke through her teeth. "Don't call me that, fox."

Knowing that it frustrated her, Nick couldn't help but laugh. If he was going to have stay calm, then he may as well have fun while trying.

He tipped his head down, letting his shades fall just enough for Judy to see the green of his eyes. "Nick, or Wilde will do just fine."

Angered and finding no way to properly handle him for now, she looked for the one who got her into this mess. Left and right her eyes traced, but she soon realized that someone was missing.

"Where's Jack?" She asked hurriedly, turning her head to see Bogo nod in the direction of the prison.

"He said that he had an assignment to take care of." Bogo answered, holding out his hand and kneeling down to Judy.

In his hooves, he held two items.

"This belongs to you." Bogo began, plucking a small square like object no larger than the palm of her hand.

Taking the object, she had to ask. "What is it?"

"That, would be the key to that." Bogo huffed, pointing from the key to Nick's neck.

Judy got the hint and quickly pocketed the key, she didn't want him anywhere near it.

"And these are for him." Bogo added, taking a small white tube and handing it to her as well.

Judy, taking hold of it, immediately identified it as a generic pain medication. Though she did question the nature of it as Nick seemed fine to her, she pocketed the pills anyway.

With everything taken care of, Bogo raised to his feet again and walked back towards the prison.

"Good luck Hopps." His voice, deep and resounding, boomed past them as he slowly went out of sight.

"Thanks Chief." Judy shouted, not sure if he heard her or not.

Now that it was just her and Nick, Judy felt a little more intimidated. Even though he didn't do much sweep his tail across the ground and but grin at her, Judy wouldn't stand for any sort of backlash.

As quickly as she could, she pulled the cruisers keys out from her coat and clicked one of its few buttons. The doors, suddenly unlocking and prying open, welcomed the two for a new adventure.

Judy then walked past Nick and pulled the door open for him to hop in.

"Get in the car." She said flatly, eyeing him and ensuring he didn't escape again.

Casually, Nick walked up to the oversized car. He peered inside to see the usual protective steel mesh grating and uncomfortable seat. Though he did want to go for a ride, it wasn't his ideal place for a comfortable cruise.

"Well?" Judy questioned, nob becoming impatient.

Nick took a step back and smiled.

"Well, I would," He replied, turning to the side and showing off his cuffs. "But my hands are tied carrots."

He knew that the name got under her fur, but he thought it worked well for her.

For what seemed to be the hundredth time that day, Nick had called her that. Angrily, she began stomping her feet and nearly bouncing without even knowing.

"THAT'S LIEUTENANT HOPPS." She shouted, loud enough to cause Nick to turn his head.

Though she was loud, it wasn't enough to deter Nick. He was still having fun with her.

"Hopping mad are we?" He commented, no longer able to hear the rabbit's tantrum.

Instead, as Nick turned to face her once more, she was no longer there.

He did, however, feel something harshly tug at his neck and lift him with unfathomable force. In the small time that he wasn't paying attention, Judy had grabbed him and pulled him into the car with incredible speed and strength.

Having had enough of him, she drug the larger mammal in and let him fall to the ground.

"Easy rabbit," Nick exclaimed, having fallen face first onto the cruisers floor. "Still in bandages."

Before he could even get back up, he heard the car start and a voice shout back to him. "Shut your mouth fox!"

As the engine roared to life, Judy hit the gas and tore off from the parking lot. She didn't think to care as she heard the fox tumble backward; she had a case to solve, and an inmate to return when it was over.

All that remained in her mind was that she could prove to Jack that she worthy of being a hunter.

* * *

"I saw that you were the only obstacle in my way."

* * *

* Next time on Zootopia Au: Predation *

We see the lives of others and compare them to our own, we often consider theirs greatness.

When we see our own lives and compare them to others, we often consider ours as dust.

All in all, it's not what we compare or contrast, it's what we did with our lives that mattered.

The paint peeled and wood split, it was a heap of its former glorious self.

"We've all lost a lot, Judy. Hopefully, now we can help someone before all is lost."

"Look, fox, you're the one guilty for breaking the law and making things worse."

* * *

With the next few chapters (until 7 which will be posted soon) being re-uploads, I'm truly sorry, but I wanted to do this sooner than later to make it a much lighter load to read. I just wanted it to be something you could pick up and read in a few minutes rather than try to squeeze in time to read.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other in your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or P.M. me. I feel as thought I'm writing a lot more these days.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, fave and follow. If you want to keep up with the story fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to pass me a P.M... More to come soon.

Till Next Time DLW.


	7. Field Trip

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. Continuing with this storyline. More info at the bottom. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews (helps me think more so thank you all)! Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

 **Note to all my readers:** Once again I apologize for all the confusion. I wanted to make this an easier read for everyone and less tedious for me in the long run. I wanted to do this sooner than later and this begins the new set of chapters for the story. To any who have been keeping up with the story, I tahnk you for your patience. More to come soon. Also, a huge thank you to all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews (helps me think more so thank you all)

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Two: Feelings Mutual

'Field Trip'

* * *

"I asked you once, long ago, 'How did our world become so cruel?'"

* * *

[February 4, 'Near Happytown' 2:15 PM]

The police cruiser sped across town, stopping only at designated areas but never slowing its pace towards its desired destination.

The two who sat in the vehicle, a fox and a rabbit, were of different walks of life. Their inability to understand and cope with one another was made clear by their constant bickering.

Even from outside the vehicle, one could see the frustrations of one or both of them swap from time to time.

"You know, you never gave me the chance to even call shotgun." Nick chided, smirking at the rabbit driving at a high speed down the street.

He had always tried to make the best of a bad situation, even when wearing the kill collar he made due with what he could. Currently, his best bet was to poke and prod at the bunny's psyche for a good time.

"You're a prisoner," Judy hissed back, only taking her eyes off the road for a split moment to see the conniving fox in her rear view mirror. "You belong back there."

In the second that she averted her gaze, she had managed to run through a red light unaware.

By the time she had turned back to see the road, she noticed something was off. She had driven through a traffic stop and cars were beeping at her, she made a mistake.

Nervously gritting her teeth, she could hear the telltale sounds of laughter coming from the back of the car.

"I see we have a criminal in the making," Nick voiced, laughing so hard he had caused his collar to beep in warning. "It's best to keep your eyes ahead."

Now furious that the fox had made her mess up her perfect record, she clenched her paws on the steering wheel and pressed the gas further. She'd be more cautious of the traffic if he wasn't there to bother her.

Having had his jab at her, Nick leaned back in the to make himself comfortable. It wasn't easy with his paws cuffed behind him and not being given a chance to hop up on the less than welcoming chair, but he managed to at least rest his head on the seat while he sat on the floor.

Not hearing so much as a peep from his prey parole officer, Nick thought of what he could do to pass the time.

"So, Carrots," His voice carried over and through the metal mesh to the now angrier rabbit. "How long have you been on the force?"

Though his question was one of sheer curiosity, Judy was too upset to even try to answer. She didn't like the situation she was in, much less the fox she had to put up with for the time being.

"Can it." She muttered, not making the mistake again of taking her eyes off the road this time.

She had, in fact, seen there was a stoplight several hundred yards away that had begun to change. Slowly, she pressed on the breaks to ease the car to a stop.

Feeling the vehicle halt its motion, Nick sat up. He wasn't finished agitating the bunny cop just yet.

"Can't do that carrots." He replied with a smug grin.

Not even a second later, he could hear her high pitched grunt of frustration. It sounded like a muddled scream.

"Don't call me carrots!" She shouted, eye twitching as she managed to catch the flash of his teeth in her mirror.

It bothered her to no end that he kept smiling. She had wondered why Jack let him loose without a muzzle.

Nick, however, was in absolute joy. He tilted his head to the side and with an air of arrogance answered. "Sorry, it's just that I assume that you eat mostly carrots."

Judy froze, not able to believe that he had just said something so... stereotypical about rabbits.

"Why would you..." She began, tensing and tilting her head towards the mirror.

The moment she saw the mocking and belittling stare of Nick, she sighed. "Ugh. Forget it."

Nick's ears stood up in excitement, he was slowly etching at her. What could he say, he was bored and already had a long enough rope.

"So, you do!" Though his tone was that of a jubilant kit, he was still cautious to some degree. Judy could just as easily put him back in his cage, but he was needed for now.

He was a prisoner after all, but he never once had the chance to fact check a rabbit.

Adjusting his pose and clearing his throat, Nick began his lecture.

"You know, eating too many carrots is actually bad for you." His voice was even and steady, not wavering even at the obvious huffs and groans of the bunny.

Finished with his informative speech and feeling his collars rub awkwardly against his fur, Nick leaned back to scratch his neck against the car seat.

"Just stating the facts." He followed, gliding his shoulders left and right to appease the itch that crept up on him.

Now more upset that this predator had ridiculed her for her dietary habits, Judy thought of an equally demeaning response.

"This coming from a meat eater!" She shot back, now being given the chance to move as the light turned green for her.

"Actually I-"

Nick would never get the chance to finish his sentence as Judy tore off the instant the light changed. She cared not that the fox fell back from his seated position with a painful sounding thud.

He had fallen over on his side, and with a slightly pained huff he looked up towards the drivers seat. Nick knew he wouldn't be able to get up again until their next stop, but that wouldn't prevent him from pestering the cop.

"Can you drive any slower please?" He asked, bearing a tone that both mocked and chastised together.

Judy, though furious, kept her head level and her eyes towards their destination.

"We have a case to solve," She said in a flat uninterested tone. "And I refuse to dilly-dally when I'm at work."

If the fox was going to bother her repeatedly, then she would have to stop him in his tracks every time.

Being the sly fox that he was Nick had already prepared a plethora of responses. He cheerfully chose the one that best suited him and chuckled at the thought.

"Then can you please drive any faster to a hospital?" He asked, faking a few coughs for good measure.

Unsure of whether this was a medical emergency or not, Judy quickly responded. "Why?"

Her years of being a cop told her that if it was serious then she'd be responsible for any damage to him, and if not then it was a waste of her time.

Nick continued to to chuckle. "Just wondering if you can cause enough bumps to get me a slot in the Predator Intensive Care Unit for a few weeks."

It was just as she had thought, definitely a waste of her time.

Thinking of what to say in response to the foxes constant rambling, she remembered something that Bogo gave her. She took one paw off the steering wheel long enough to locate the small bottle that she obtained at the prison.

Not even needing to take it out of her pocket, she replied. "That's what your pain meds are for."

While Nick knew this to be true, he still wanted to have the last say in pestering Judy.

"Well, with the way you drive, they won't be needed."

Nick patiently awaited some kind of response from Judy for a few minutes. His ears practically itched in agony to have some kind of accompanying voice to scratch them.

But no such voice came, not even the slightest huff or groan from the rabbit was heard at all. His little poke at her seemed to be effective as he could feel the car pick up in speed.

This was a bit odd even to him, it had been a few minutes since she had last spoken so something else was going on in her head. He couldn't understand why the constantly yappy officer would go at such a high speed down the street without having been notified of any activity on the radio.

Curious as to the sudden change, Nick tilted his head up to take a look out the window. Immediately, he knew where he was and could guess at what Judy was thinking.

He turned to the metal window and voiced his thoughts. "What's wrong rabbit, don't like the pred neighborhoods?"

He had either hit a nerve or startled her as he felt the car shift gears slightly, they were picking up speed. Though he never got to see how many close calls with red lights they had, he could definitely tell she was tense.

"Deep breaths Carrots," He said almost reassuringly as countless buildings whisked past them. "Everything will be just fine."

Nick could feel the vehicle slow down just a little, though they were still clearly well over the speed limit.

"This is 'Happy Town' after all," He cheerfully added, leaning closer to the cage. "Where every pred knows your name."

The vehicle slowed by just a bit more. Barely noticeable, but maybe a mile or two this time.

"You know, we all don't bite," Nick assured her, half intently half not. "Not much anyways."

Suddenly, the vehicle took a sharp turn and came to a screeching halt.

This momentum threw Nick against the car door, further causing him distress but nor much in line of injury from the way he was already positioned.

"You're impossible!" Judy shouted, unbuckling herself from the seat and causing the parked car to beep incessantly.

Turning her focus to the fox behind the mesh, she hopped up to finally tell him what was on her mind.

"I'm here, so I'm just very unlikely." Nick quipped, raising himself from his tumble and beating Judy to an answer.

Though he wore his sunglasses, he had met her furious glare with a calm and diffusing stare of his own. But in the end, Judy wouldn't have any of this.

"Preds like you belong in the Jungle!" She declared, with paw clenched and ears standing on end.

The sound of her voice nearly made the mesh rattle. Nick sat wide-eyed seemingly frozen in both fear and disbelief.

As he began to rise to his feet, he shuddered at the weight that her words carried. He hadn't expected this kind of backlash over a simple joke.

He rose to meet her fiery glare with a fierce look in his own eyes as he felt his shades fall to his muzzle.

"Preds like me? Preds like me!" He reiterated, feeling his blood boil.

His countenance now twisted and teeth bearing from the single accusation, he never even bothered to hear his collar warn him of the incoming shock.

"And what kind of pred would that be?!" He yelled back in rage.

When he did feel the inevitable shock that came with his flaring temper, he fell to the floor as it was equally as strong as his anger.

Judy, though unaware she took a step back, never took her eyes off the fox who could easily have attacked her had he not had his set of collars on.

She didn't feel at ease with the sight before her, a caged fox that could still bite. Much more than that was a fox that got what he deserved.

Having the upper-hand and still looming over him, she gave her judgement. "The ones guilty of breaking the law."

Still quivering from the pain, Nick craned his neck to face Judy. He wasn't able to see her as he was still on the floor, but with ears a mile long he knew she could still hear him.

"I've known preds, that came back from there," He wheezed, trembling from the aftershock and trying to calm himself before another warning. "They were-"

"What, blood thirsty?" Judy cut him off.

She didn't know what else to say. From what she knew about preds in her time on the force, she had come to expect the worst.

Nick, having heard Judy's rant, breathed deep and shook his head.

"Forget it." His tone was nothing but dreary.

Judy waited for the fox to say anything more, anything that she could shoot down in an instant; but nothing was spoken, nothing was heard aside from the squeak of the seat cushion as Nick readjusted himself again.

Winning the fight, Judy turned her attention to the building in front of them. She had a job to do, and a call to make.

She hopped back down to her carseat and cut the car off, no longer would she need to race down the road as she had made it to their stop.

Before she headed out of the car, there was one thing that was still on her mind.

'What if he tries that again?' She thought.

Mindlessly, her eyes were drawn to the glove compartment. She had always been prepared at a moments notice and this would be no exception.

Hopping the seat and opening the rather large container, she was welcomed by a personal favorite side arm of hers; her well trusted taser. She smiled at the black and yellow device and quickly clipped it to her belt.

After securing the gun and opening the car door, she jumped down to gain a better view of her surroundings. In the afternoon sunlight it was easy to see the towering structure that had had had somehow eluded the law for so long.

She was back here again, back where it all started. There stood before her a clinic at the edge of a dock. Its yellow walls had been worn and riddled with various graffiti. The red and white sign with the fox's smiling face had long since faded.

Specks of grass had grown into the sidewalk surrounding the area, and the parking lot was void of any potential patients. It wasn't the same as when they had first gotten there, it was now a mere shell of its former self.

Relieved that they were getting somewhere, Judy pulled out her phone and dialed the number that Jack had given her earlier. She took a deep breath as it rang.

"This is Savage!" An uppity voice answered.

Unbeknownst to her she squealed a little on the inside.

"Jack, this is lieutenant Hopps." She answered, almost snapping a salute.

She could hear the engine of a car roaring in the background of the call.

"Judy! I told you, I don't do formal. Any-who, how ya' holding up?"

Having thought about her current role in the assignment , she had to tell him.

"Miserable."

A loud burst of laughter echoed from her phone.

"Good to know. I assume you're at the theme park, yes?"

She hadn't known Jack for long, but he did have an odd sense of humor.

"Yes, we've just arrived on the clinic ." She replied.

"Good, good, I'll swing by there in a few. Just take Nick with you and head on in."

Her countenance fell from this, did he not remember what she said before?

"What? I can't go in alone with him!"

Having shouted at her phone with no response, she waited.

"...Come on Judy, he's not gonna hurt you."

Jacks voice was calm, almost apologetic.

"Intentionally anyways, there's no telling what may or may not happen by accident."

Apologetic maybe, but not comforting in the least.

"Yeah, well, he already shocked himself."

There was a chilling silence between them.

"Why?"

Jack's voice seemed to carry a heavy and desperate weight to it.

"Well I," Judy stammered, smoothing out her hair in irritation. "Kinda told him he belonged in the jungle."

There was a screech followed by the unmistakable sound of a crunch that sent shivers down her spine.

"Jack?" She called out of worry.

No response.

"Jack?!" She shouted in distress.

Still nothing.

"JA-"

"WHAT!" He shouted back, cutting her off.

She took a deep breath in relief, but the noise still bothered her.

"Uh...what did I hear on your end?" She inquired, hoping that it wasn't too serious.

"Oh, that sound? Nothing, it's nothing." Jack admitted hastily.

Judy, however, was unconvinced at his tone.

"I heard... crunching." She pried further.

Her ears perked up at the faint beeps of a car horn.

"Nah, just getting... great, now I need buff and a wax, for the car."

Judy clutched the phone in her hand, surely she didn't just hear him say that.

"Are you in a carwash?" She accused, feeling her ears droop slightly. "Is that what your errand was?"

"What, yea? I mean no!"

Jack sounded distracted, but Judy was still uncomfortable with where she was.

"Look, Judy, I know you're upset, but don't joke about the Jungle. I've been out there and it's..." Jack's emphasis on the 'Jungle' didn't go unnoticed, Judy could feel the concern in his voice.

Hesitant to reply, Judy glanced over to the cruiser. Even though she didn't like the fox, what Jack had said troubled her. Did she really mean to go that far?

"Never mind, don't worry about it Judy, just head inside I'll be there soon."

With an abrupt click, Jack was gone.

Her call finished, she took a moment to look around the area. There was nobody there to bother them, and no way out of her predicament.

Still agitated that she'd have to bring the fox out into the open, she walked up to the car door and shook her head. She was glad to at least have her side arm.

* * *

"Angrily you answered, 'Because you were my enemy!'"

* * *

Hey all, sorry about the wait, but this chapter finally starts the new set. I hope you're enjoying them as much as I enjoy writing them. And a huge thank you again to everyone of you all.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other in your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or P.M. me. I feel as thought I'm writing a lot more these days.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, fave and follow. If you want to keep up with the story fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to pass me a P.M... More to come soon.

Till Next Time DLW.


	8. Wild...Times?

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows,fav's and reviews (helps me think more so thank you all)! This arc is almost done and more info is at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Two: Feelings Mutual

'Wild...Times?'

* * *

"I asked you once, long ago, 'How did our world become so cruel?'"

* * *

[February 4, 'Wild Times Theme Park' 2:43 PM]

Judy stood there for a moment, gathering her thoughts and resigning herself to the task just ahead. Jack had told her that the fox was needed and here she was.

Bracing herself for the worst, Judy huffed in annoyance. It was now or never, it was time to enter the scene of the crime.

She clicked the keys of the car to open the door and focused intently on any sudden movement. Her paw already on her taser, she pulled the door open and was greeted with a rather different sight than what she had mentally prepared herself for.

There was Nick, sitting idly with a casual look about him; his gaze affixed to her out of boredom from the long wait. This wasn't the same kind of attitude that she had seen from the fox when he shocked himself, this was a rather more relaxed mammal than before.

In the back of her thought, she was thankful that the tame collar was doing its job.

Not wanting to waste time, she pointed her paws towards the clinic door.

"Out." She commanded.

Nick's ears perked up at her orders. He had been sitting there for a while patiently waiting for something to happen as he recovered from the shock treatment he received.

Compliantly he rose to his feet, pushing off the seat cushion and shifting his weight to stand properly. Having the cuffs behind him made the short walk awkward and cumbersome, but within a few seconds, he was stepping down from the cruisers door.

As he took a step away from the car, he gasped at the sight of his former business. It was the first chance he had to see the place again.

Whereas when he was running the operation it was kept neat and orderly. Now, however, it was a shell of its former glory. The clinic itself was no more than a rundown shack now.

Judy herself wasn't impressed, she noticed that her prisoner wasn't moving.

"Come on fox." She announced, bringing Nick from his awestruck gaze and waving him closer to the building.

Flustered slightly at the repetition of the rabbit, Nick walked forward.

"I told you my name, do I need to spell it for you? It's N-I-C-." He said, brushing off Judy's belittlement of him before being pushed lightly from behind.

"Just get inside!" She demanded.

While Judy was nowhere near as tall as Nick, she had every intent on ushering him into the building. She had no qualms in using her taser if she needed to.

Nick found it interesting that the rabbit would go to such lengths to escort him, but he was once again impressed at how strong she may be as to literally make him move.

He barely had time to fully look over the area before he was face to face with the clinic's main entrance. He didn't get a chance to protest as an irate Judy pushed the door open and dragged him in.

"It's open?" He whispered in surprise, feeling his balance shift from the change of surface from concrete to linoleum.

He thought that they would need the set of keys that he had kept hidden away, but with the way the place looked, he remembered that wouldn't be necessary. The door itself had creaked shut, a victim of the harsh raid that had taken place before.

Coming to a halt as Judy let go of him, the two finally got a look inside the building. Though no overhead lights were on, it was easy to see sunlight from the various broken windows.

As Nick looked over the room, he felt as though he didn't know the place at all. He breathed heavily as he scanned over the ransacked remains of the clinic.

Ceiling tiles fallen and various papers and rubbish littered the floor. Furnishings had all but disappeared with doors to patient rooms knocked down and trampled.

The simple tanned paint had been either peeled or torn, and the welcome desk was turned over. There were lose nails in the wall that had once proudly hung pictures to show patients that this was a much happier place than it was now.

The place was a mess and there was nothing that could be done about it now. Whether this was all done in the raid or some act of vandalism, he didn't know.

Huffing in frustration, Nick walked forward with Judy trailing behind. He turned his head left and right, it was the same thing on either side of the short hallway.

Scratched walls where the swat team had made their entry, piles of dust and debris crisscrosses the floor; light fixtures somehow managing to become loose, and water damage speckled what was left.

Each step, made perilous from fallen obstacles, was a grim reminder of that fateful day some months ago.

Judy herself found traversing the vacant building difficult as well. Whereas Nick was tall and could step over various objects with slight ease, she was constantly hopping around.

As they neared the patient room towards the back of the building, Judy remembered how well hidden the theme park was.

"Of all the hiding spots, you had to place it under a clinic, in a warehouse, on a dock?" She asked, hopping around a fallen shelf.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Nick faced down towards her. It was dim enough for them both inside, but as he couldn't remove his shades easily his night vision helped him out just enough.

Carefully stepping over a few books that had fallen he responded. "That's because I'm a vet, the space was large enough, and the only one available."

"No, you were a vet by fraudulent claim." Judy corrected him.

"Fraudulent? It took me two years to get the degree that I printed out." Nick shot back.

Not sure if he was serious or not, Judy continued to debunk his position.

"Only to have your license revoked, remember?" She stated, her voice on the rise.

"Im still capable of helping any mammal," Nick paused for a moment, studying Judy and turning his head towards the open door in front of them. "Except some rabbits it seems."

He didn't bother to gain any sense of expression from Judy, he just wanted to see what was left of his business.

Their exchange of facts given, they entered the back exam room. A solitary place where patients and guests alike were treated.

Though windowless itself, there was enough light from the surrounding area to illuminate all that was within.

This room, just like the others, had become a junk pile in the past few months. The cabinets were opened and various supplies had either accumulated dust or were outright thrown haphazardly across the room.

A painting that had rested on the wall had been torn asunder, various files lay in a heap across the exam table. Etchings of unknown characters ran from one side of the wall to the other.

Both Nick and Judy cringed from the putrid smell of expired medicines or other unknown odors.

The only thing that seemed untouched in the small space was the shelf that hid the entrance to his theme park. It was covered in dust with small scratches in it, but seemed relatively unharmed.

Nick smiled at this occurrence, this was his chance to see his home away from home again. Taking no further thought, he walked towards the hidden door.

Judy froze the moment she saw Nick make his way over. She didn't know what he would do as the two of them were alone. Her first instinct was to place her paw on her weapon.

Quietly and unfazed by the darkened room, Nick stood before the shelf and looked down towards its side. His ears perked up when he had found what he was looking for.

"Remember this, carrots?" Nick said with a smug grin, never taking his eyes off the floor.

Unable to use his hands to reach the hidden switch, Nick awkwardly kicked at it until he heard it give way.

"And voila!" Nick said with glee.

With a satisfying click and the creak of a panel, the door was open once more.

Nick turned back at the rabbit who was now poised to strike. Her stare was cold and unimpressed.

"No, nothing?" He chuckled.

Judy shook her head and lowered her paw from her weapon. He was still insufferable, but at least they were a step closer in the right direction.

She rounded the exam table up to the door. It was just as she remembered in the raid, and just as dark as well. She unclipped her phone and switched its light on to peer down the winding stairway.

Still cautious of Nick standing near her she waved him forward.

"Alright, let's get downstairs."

Nick walked next to her and looked down the stairs as well. He could easily see, but the light from Judy's phone helped a little.

Before he took another step, he had to ask "Mind un-cuffing me?"

He was somewhat joking in his tone, but still hopeful that Judy would at least let him walk downstairs and balance himself.

To which Judy replied. "Uh, no. Walk."

At least he had brief hope.

Nick shrugged his shoulders and stepped forward. He moved slowly as he could tell the material was beginning to lose its strength.

"Careful, the wood's rotting." He warned.

Every step down uttered a faint creak from the loose boards, and whenever either bumped into one of the walls it sounded like it would give way.

He could hear Judy hopping down step by step as cautious as he was. Even now more than ever he had wanted to see his glorious park again. But patience would be its own reward as a few of the wooden boards gave way slightly under his weight.

Each sound of the wood splinting halted their progress, and Nick did his best to shift his weight around enough to get solid footing to the next step.

"Almost there." Nick announced.

He had known this place like the back of his paw, they were more than halfway down the stairs.

Judy found it just as difficult to follow the fox. The precarious structure made their decent slower than she had wanted, but her quick thinking and acute hearing had allowed her to nimbly avoid scrapes and bruises.

Heading down a few more perilous and tedious flights, the light from Judy's phone showed the two the bottom floor.

Never had she been more grateful see the end of stairs in her life.

A few more creaks sounded as Judy followed Nick down to the end. They were met with what seemed to be a more solid floor, though only time could tell if they wouldn't fall through it as well.

Not wasting a moment and wanting to see where the files were, Judy hastily asked. "Where are the lights?"

Still able to see Nick from the dim light, he nodded his head towards a wall just by them.

"Power circuit's in that room."

Flashing her phone in the direction he had told her, they walked over to a small cut out room.

With Nick behind her, Judy mentally readied herself incase he tried to attack or make a break for it.

In the room, Judy caught sight of a few machines and a single panel labeled 'power'.

Knowing that this would be her chance to see, she quickly flipped it and heard the roar of the machinery as it came to life.

Light burst from the door allowing her to see a more than jubilant fox furiously wag his tail. For the first time she could see that his sunshades were no longer dimmed, but clearly showing his green gleaming eyes.

"Welcome Carrots," He said with excitement that she never knew he had.

So much was his excitement that the both of them could hear the signature beep of his collar.

Judy herself took a step back in caution. An excitable pred wasn't something that she would like to deal with now, much less the fox that she had accompanying her.

"To the Wild Times!" Nick announced with glee, spinning around to peer out the door and to his masterpiece of a business.

The moment he did so, his countenance dropped.

While he received only a jolt from his collar this time, the shock of what lay before him felt much worse.

"Theme...Park?" His voice, merely a whisper as he could clearly see what had become of his beloved hidden world.

Nick couldn't tell whether he had shuddered from the relapse of the shock or the sheer sight that was before him. Nevertheless, a chill ran down his spine and his tail refused to move.

Judy took notice of the sudden mood change and slowly walked beside him. Whatever was upsetting him clearly couldn't be that serious, she thought.

Rounding the corner to the entry way, Judy knew then what was wrong.

Just as the clinic above them, this place too had been trashed. But compared to the medical office's broken state, the theme park was in complete shambles.

All across the wide warehouse there were broken columns of wood and splintered attractions that collapsed onto one another. Wide arrays of neon lights that once hung to welcome guests now lay shattered about.

Miniature pred dolls hung from random points throughout, each with some random appendage or head missing.

The fliers and advertisements that he had adorned the wall with were now covered in various hate speeches and crude drawings against predators.

On the entry way, they could see signs that were horribly written. Nick cringed at every one of them.

'Go skulk somewhere else.' Was the first one that he took notice of, written across the entrance to the park in massive blue and red paint.

'No preds allowed.' Had been carved and sprayed onto the massive Roar a Coaster.

Horror shot through Nick as he turned to see the more and more ruin.

'Every pred deserves a muzzle.' Was plastered onto the bite strength machine and it was given a metal muzzle of its own.

'Go back to the jungle.' Was sprawled across the ball of yarn pit that now had carvings of preds fleeing into the grasslands.

But by far the worst of all Nick could only stare in disbelief as he looked ahead. The 'Wild Times' sign that he had placed up as the namesake of his park had been torn down to the ground and broken.

The paint peeled and wood split, it was a heap of its former glorious self.

'Put down the preds.' Was now written in place of its name, though most horrifying of all was the fox doll that had been strapped down to it with red tape around its neck and blue sparks drawn around it.

Having seen everything possible in the park, the lights seemed to draw themselves in on Nick alone. He breathed heavily, unable to focus his gaze on one thing or another.

"Who's been here?" He asked frantically.

Judy didn't know how to truly answer that. She didn't know who had possibly been down here. It had been shut down since the raid and investigations stopped months ago.

"It's been abandoned," She stated, thinking of any recent activity. "But it's been on the news."

Barely even paying attention to her, Nick walked towards the fallen sign.

It lacked the radiant glow that it used to bear, every light was out and it was split and splintered into unfathomable pieces.

The fox that was taped down had an uncanny resemblance to himself. It had the same style of clothes he wore but had no glasses to perfect it.

He could feel his neck itch as the red tape that bound the doll to the wood reminded him too much about his current ordeal.

Unable to bear more of the sight, he tore his vision away from the sigh and looked over the room again.

"This was my dream," He muttered to himself. "They had so much fun here."

Lights flickered about the area as he reminisced about the time he had here. He had enjoyed this more than he could say, but now it was over.

"All that work, just rubble." He added, finding himself turning to Judy for some reason. "I just wanted to give preds a chance to smile for once in their lives."

Judy had no idea of why he was telling her this. It wasn't her job to sympathize over his misdeed, nor did she have any intention to do so.

"You ran this for years and had your fun." Judy argued. "What you did was break the law and endanger lives."

Nick froze when he heard this, but he had half expected this kind of an answer. "So, you think I made the world worse, huh?"

Frustrated with his unwillingness to take the blame for what he did, Judy pointed straight at him. "What you did was against the Predation Clause."

Nick stood silent for a moment. He scratched his collar as best as he could with his shoulder alone and replied.

"The clause is a joke." He said sternly. "It's a joke that's been going on for decades, and preds are the punchline."

Judy waved her hand in protest. "Our law is there to protect us."

Nick grit his teeth at her mention of the law, he wouldn't let his side of the argument die. "And what may I ask is protecting us from you?"

Judy didn't know how to answer this one.

Nick took the time to add to his issue. "Every time I hear the news, it's always about some pred doing something horrible."

Without thinking, Judy shouted back. "That's because you preds are dangerous, and that's why the Predation Clause exists, fox."

It was at this time that Nick couldn't find the words to say.

"You broke the three major rules," Judy continued, counting the crimes he committed on her paw "You were charged with 'Violent Actions' when you attacked me, 'Malicious Intent' when you un-collared preds for non-medical services, and 'Conspiracy' for running this place!"

Holding up a finger for each major offense he had, Judy stared him down with fire in her eyes.

"And, to top it off, you did that all in one day!" She exclaimed, furthering her attempt to get him to understand. "So congratulations on making the world a better place for you and making my work harder."

Catching her breath from the near screaming she did, Judy continued to stare daggers at Nick who only gave her a cold blank stare back.

"Can you stop calling me fox?" He asked.

Judy wasn't the least bit amused. "What, are you something other than a fox now?"

Bearing a slight snicker, Nick replied "Well, sometimes other mammals think I'm a kitty."

"But in the end, you're still only a fox," Judy interrupted him and watched as his brow began to twitch. "Just stating the facts."

"Oh, like how prey outnumber preds." Nick wasted no time in countering her observation. "Or how every pred has to wear one of these or they'll be arrested?"

His tone was on the edge of shouting. "You prey are just as dangerous as us."

Judy couldn't particularly argue with him. She had seen plenty of prey animals in her time on the force that were dangerous until their arrest. But one thing distinguished them from preds under their law.

Pointing at Nick she adamantly stated her claim. "You'd never see any prey caught wearing those."

Nick knew that she was pointing more so at his tame collar than anything; and in that instant, he began to smile.

"Ha, good one," He laughed. "I think they can find one for a speedster your size."

Nick flit his ears and chuckled slightly from the thought, but Judy gave him a disgusted stare.

The thought alone to her was disturbing. "Is everything a game to you?"

Nick couldn't help but turn to see his beloved ruin. Every haunting image from the split wood to every painted word, and most of all the small fox doll; everything in his world had turned against him.

With a pained sigh, he answered. "I was hoping that even for a moment it could have been."

* * *

"Without concern, you told me 'It's when we didn't see eye to eye.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! I'm still chipping away a this massive story and I hope you're enjoying it as much as I love writing it. Truly it's only begun and I hope you stick around for more. The next chapter should be up in the next few days since I've revised it from being long chapters to short and more managable chapters.

A new "Nick n' Finnick" should be up soon as well. (more of a slice of life kind compared to this dark story.)

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other in your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or P.M. me. I feel as thought I'm writing a lot more these days.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	9. Ticket Please

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows,fav's and reviews (Honestly, it helps me think)! This arc is almost done and more info is at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Two: Feelings Mutual

'Ticket Please'

* * *

"I asked you once, long ago, 'How did our world become so cruel?'"

* * *

[February 4, 'Wild Times Theme Park' 3:00 PM]

A few minutes passed by as the two of them stood there basking in silence.

Nick had been quietly running each ruined work through his mind time and time again. Every sight brought fear to his heart and sent shivers down his spine.

He had never expected his dream to look like this, not even after the raid. His thoughts raced from one to another as to what he could do now when everything he had was lost.

Painfully, however, he came to the conclusion that nothing could be done no matter how hard he tried. His business was ruined, his license taken away; he couldn't even find solace in holding a single piece of the park as his paws were cuffed behind him. His vision of Wild Times was officially over.

While Nick hopelessly catalogued the damages, Judy watched without a word. Even when she heard some sign of movement from either the rattle of cuffs or debris loosening, her eyes never strayed from the collared fox.

Lost in thought, she tapped her foot against the floor.

Judy had no idea of why he just couldn't accept the fact that his actions helped start this mess. They were here because he broke the law, and now she was going to make things right.

As she continued to wrestle with everything that she'd been through so farm, the thumping of her feet grew louder. Each tap became faster, further irritating her until she quit altogether.

"Where's the file?!" She shouted, startling Nick who had until now forgotten that he was with her.

While not wanting to look away from his memories, he found himself unable to stand anymore of the sight. Having already been bothered more than he could want to say, he begrudgingly focused his attention the fuming rabbit.

He tilted his head towards part of the wreckage of the park. "In my office."

Shifting her gaze slightly to where Nick had pointed them, Judy could only see the massive coaster near the back of the park.

She remembered some of the park the last time she had been there, even if it had been more hectic. While she couldn't easily see the office, she knew where it was.

Before she could take a step forward, she heard Nick finally move from his well-acquainted spot.

Not bothering to further speak, he carefully walked towards the coaster. His mind was blank as made his way over and around piles of rubble that blocked the office from view.

Though he walked slowly and was slightly off balance, Judy couldn't help but clench her fist.

She trailed him cautiously, avoiding as much as she could from the fallen attractions.

Thankfully, with the bright mix of neon and fluorescent lights to guide them, Judy could easily see the dangers in her way.

Fine shards of glass were scattered all around her, several floor boards were pried apart. The 'Roar a' Coaster' itself, while still standing, had wood jutting out of its sides with various pieces of twisted metal attached to it.

She nimbly hopped around as much as she was able to, though at times she found it easier to shove some of the more harmful material out of her way.

Just ahead of her, she could see Nick do the same thing. Whereas she did so quite roughly, he was far more careful in how he cleared his path.

He seemed to just lightly brush glass away with his feet, fallen wood was hoisted slightly with his shoulder and placed back gently when he could make his way through.

In her efforts to watch him, she heard a sharp crunch just below her as she took another step.

Immediately she looked down in fear that her carelessness may have just gotten her in trouble.

After looking at what she stepped on, she sighed in relief. It was nothing more than one of the crumpled fliers that she had seen before.

Her momentary mishap over, she resumed her walk to where Nick was heading, a large wooden door that was partially open.

Recognizing where they now were, she followed him to the office.

Nick used his foot to pry the door open just enough for him to push against it to let them in.

As the door opened, the two were met with the faint glow of sunlight and the strong smell of mildew.

The office, just like everywhere else, had some kind of damage to it.

Some wooden cabinets had fallen, releasing their books and various papers in the process. A few papers were torn and scattered about. Graffiti, while less offensive than the main entrance, had been sprayed on the back wall.

Nick's desk had been flipped and broken, and the window that had been hidden by fauna outside had been fully shattered.

The room itself was covered in a fine layer of dust and spotted with water damage.

Nick shook his head and casually walked over to his chair. It, surprisingly, wasn't damaged too badly.

Judy, however, walked in the room with hesitation. Her memories place flooded back to her. The raid had been successful on all ends, but it wasn't easy for her at all.

She thought back to how she had accidentally discovered this place, and how terrified she was of seeing so many teeth on hundreds of uncollared preds.

She remembered how she was assigned to the swat team and tasked with apprehending the fox, but the memory that stood out from that all was him suddenly trying to attack her the moment she entered the room.

Her breathing grew heavier with each step, her ears stood on end and she looked in every direction. Unknowingly, she began to place her paw on her taser.

"You okay Carrots?" She heard called to her.

Freezing in place, she instantly turned to see Nick who managed to somehow climb into his chair and give her an awkward stare.

Taking a moment to shake off the feeling, her paw lowered itself and she regained her composure. She couldn't show weakness around the fox, no matter the cost.

"Where is it?" She asked again, looking over the mess.

From what she could see, there's no way that what they came for wasn't already taken or mixed up somewhere in a pile.

Nick shifted his weight and spun the chair around slightly to the wall next to him.

"The file's right behind that board next to the shelf, it's hidden in the wall." He replied.

Her eyes on the spot, Judy moved forward.

She didn't believe for a moment that Nick was going to just sit there and quietly wait for her to get what they came for. Her only thought was that he was trying to escape with her back turned.

Once she got to the wall, she turned to see if he was trying to move even a muscle. But he sat there almost brooding. While still uneasy, she felt more confident that he wouldn't easily make sudden moves.

Satisfied, for now, Judy went to inspect the area. The wall, covered in writing and various crude images like the rest, seemed completely ordinary. She shook her head in disbelief, but still decided it best to try anyway.

Placing her paw on the panel in the wall, she felt it slightly give way. In almost shock, she could feel it move as she applied more force to it. In moments, the board was loose enough for her to see a small space with a blue folder sitting inside.

Not wasting a moment, she grabbed the folder and let the board fall back to where it was.

'It was no wonder the ZPD never found it' She thought. The raid would have never recovered something so simply hidden with so much other evidence around them.

While she held the folder up, she could see Nick grinning as if to tell her that he was right.

Eager to see what information she could get from here, she opened the file and flipped through its contents. In a matter of seconds, she let it fall to the floor fully revealing its true state.

"It's empty!" She yelled in rage.

Nick, up until now, had been grinning as he thought he had even a small victory for the day. Now he could only stare back in bewilderment.

The news had taken him by surprise, putting him at the edge of his seat. "That can't be right. I told Finnick and Clawhouser to put it here in case."

Frustrated to no end at how this was turning out, Judy narrowed her eyes and tapped her foot. She had been lied to, she was right the whole time. It was time for her to go back and report this to Jack.

Placing her paws to her side, she stopped tapping her foot and looked dead at him. "Alright fox, I've had enough of your game."

Nick sighed, he didn't know what went wrong. It wasn't just a blank paper in there last time he was here.

"I'm serious carrots," He began, easing down out of his chair to reason with Judy. "I told them to put it here."

The moment Nick moved, Judy was ready. She lowered her stance and held her paw over the taser incase he made a break for it or tried to corner her.

She grit her teeth. "I'm taking you back to the prison."

Now on even footing, Nick could see that things weren't going quite as planned. He needed to find a way to tell her he wasn't lying.

He took a deep breath and turned towards the door. "We need to find them."

This was it, she knew he was up to no good. She drew her weapon and held it in both paws as his back was turned.

"You're just trying to escape!" She clarified.

Nick shook his head and took a step towards the park.

"I'm trying to help you," He argued, feeling a twinge of regret and bitterness somewhere in his mind. "And the only ones that can help me find it are-"

'Click'

His ears stood on end as he turned around. The moment he did so, he could see that the rabbit was deathly serious about not letting him go.

"On the ground!" She shouted.

She had her taser lined up and ready to fire at him on a moments notice, and at this distance, she couldn't miss.

Seeing the ferocity in her eyes, Nick started to panic. While his tame collar beeped, he didn't know exactly how the kill collar would react to a taser's electrical force. His only thought was that it be the end of him if she pulled the trigger.

Chattering his teeth, he started to drop to one knee. He never took his eyes off her, and he didn't make any attempt to further anger her.

"Can you put the gun down?" He pleaded, lowering his other knee to meet the other.

The fox now subdued to where he couldn't run in any direction, Judy took her taser off of him but kept it in clear view of both of them.

She stared daggers at him, but he wouldn't turn to face her. She had won, but she would still have to get him back to the prison. All she had to do was call-

'taptaptap'

Both of their ears twitched at the sound and their eyes soon followed.

Judy knew it couldn't be Nick that made the noise, he was on his knees, and they weren't alone.

In the moment that they saw who it was, Judy felt her heart skip a beat, and Nick sighed in relief.

Standing just behind Nick at the doorway with his arms folded and piercing gaze was none other than the rabbit that Judy was about to call.

"J-jack?" She stuttered.

She had no idea that he would be there so quickly. Furthermore, she didn't understand how she didn't hear him at all.

When she had called him, he stopped tapping his foot and walked forward. His focus was solely on the lieutenant.

"Heya stripes." Nick chuckled, it wasn't his hide in trouble.

Though his initial greeting was ignored, he felt a paw on his shoulder hoist him up to his feet. At least he had one rabbit that didn't want to put him down.

Judy's eyes darted from Jack to the fox and back. She was an officer, she was supposed to uphold the law at all costs, but she had to answer to Jack.

Nearly trembling at the realization, she hesitantly asked "How long have you-"

"Lower your weapon Judy," Jack interrupted, shifting his focus from her to Nick. "Let me handle this."

* * *

"As fury burned in your heart you seethed 'Because you were the one to make mistakes!'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! We have one last part before this chapter (Feelings Mutual) ends, which should be up very soon. I'm already writing the third chapter of volume one (It still calls to me...)

A new "Nick n' Finnick" is up as well. (more of a slice of life kind compared to this dark story.)

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	10. Crowded

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows,fav's and reviews (Honestly, it helps me think)! This arc is done and more info is at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Two: Feelings Mutual

'Crowded'

* * *

"I asked you once, long ago, 'How did our world become so cruel?'"

* * *

 [February 4, 'Wild Times Theme Park' 4:43 PM]

It had taken some time for the tension in the room to die down, but in no way did it disappear.

Nick once again managed to sit in his chair while the two rabbits stood on either side of him.

Judy, the frustrated rabbit she was, took solace in standing near the door. Her arms were folded and her ears drooped behind her. Should Nick try to escape or cause either of them harm, she'd be ready.

Jack, the more calm and experienced of the two, leaned against the wall. He surveyed the room, piecing as much information together as possible before he spoke a word.

He had just been notified about the blank pages that Nick had stored away, but it didn't make sense at all.

He thought patiently, eyeing either of the two while assessing what their next course of action should be. Playing the list of events in his mind, only one thing stood out.

Solemnly he adjusted his tie, catching glances from the others as he was the only one to move. He then stood tall and walked closer to Nick.

Clearing his throat he asked. "The two you mentioned earlier, this Clawhouser and Finnick, who are they?"

Slightly surprised by the question, Nick froze. Even though he suggested finding them earlier, he wondered what would become of his friends if they reached them.

From Judy's actions alone, he may end up with a few more cell mates. He would never betray his friends, even if he had to go back.

Nick, now unwilling to answer, leaned back in his chair and turned his head towards the window.

Judy, watching this scene unfold, started to seethe with rage. Here was Jack, the best of the best, trying to help him, but the fox ignored and hindered them.

She had to put an end to this. No fox could possibly be worth their time.

As she made up her mind to speak to Jack, she watched him shake his head and sigh.

"Come on Nick," Jack pleaded, walking around to see the fox face to face. "They won't get in trouble I assure you."

While still mulling over the endless scenarios that could happen, Nick snapped out of his thoughts long enough to see the sincere expression on Jack's face.

His stance was calm and he smiled slightly, none of his features or attitude drew flags of deception.

"This is a police investigation coordinated by FERAL, they won't be arrested for conspiracy or association." He continued, slightly eyeing Judy to get his message across plainly.

Taking all the information in, Nick felt slightly better. He leaned forward to speak, creaking his chair as he did so. Though still somewhat reserved, this was his chance to see his friends again without fear of them being taken down with him.

"They're the ones that helped me run," Nick began, taking a deep breath and tracing his eyes from one side of the room to the other. "What's left of this place."

His voice trailed off as a deep sorrow pooled within him. All the memories he had here were shattered remnants now. Only his friends would understand the same feeling.

At the mention of the others, Judy tore away from her sentry position and questioned. "You mean your accomplices?"

Nick immediately turned his head towards Judy, he couldn't believe what he heard. How could she demean them like common criminals?

"Accomplices?!" He spat out in anger, giving a warning sound for all to hear. "They're my friends, fluff!"

Equally angered now, Judy yelled back. "Don't call me fluff, fox!"

While both stared with fury at each other, they failed to see formerly casual rabbit step in-between them.

"Enough! Both of you!" Jack shouted, far louder than the two could imagine.

While Judy winced from the piercing and sudden sound, Nick jumped slightly in shock though his collar never went off. Neither were expecting Jack to have such a resounding voice, but experience told them that he wasn't one to be easily beaten in an argument.

As both the rabbit and fox had become silent, Jack finally regained control of the room. He turned to face Nick once more.

He sighed in frustration. "Can you describe them for us?"

Nick, a little nervous after the sudden outburst, shifted in his chair. Whether or not he did so to retreat into his mind or to make himself comfortable, he didn't know. He only needed to tell them who they were for now.

"Uh, Finnick is a fennec fox," He admitted, adjusting his foot as if to measure. "About yea high and always angry."

He himself chuckled at the thought. Jack merely smirked in response.

"And Clawhouser is a cheetah," Nick "Always cheerful and goes on forever about a singer we know."

Judy cringed the moment she heard the fox say cheerful and cheetah together. She had taken down many of their species before, fast and cunning with terrifying claws. So whatever cheer a cheetah could have couldn't possibly be good for her.

Nodding in response, Jack began to ponder and pace. "What were your usual hangout spots?"

Nick thought deeply about this. They had a whole slew of places that they visited. From their old hustling grounds and shelters, to their former vendor locations and recreation spots.

None stood out more than what was in front of them.

"Well, usually just hung out here," Nick announced, feeling his shoulders weigh heavy from the pains of loss. "Until it all fell apart."

Every moment his eyes were opened in the office he could feel them droop from the sight of the wreckage. He wanted to fix something or watch someone walk through the doors just to have fun.

Mulling over more common spots, another came to him.

"Oh, they might be back at my place." He exclaimed.

Jack, continuing to pace back and forth, stopped in his tracks.

"Wait, your apartment in the Rainforest District?" He asked, with a sense of urgency coursing through his voice.

Nick nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Jack stood frozen in place, his expression dropped along with his ears. He noticed Nick looked worried as well, this wouldn't be easy to tell him.

"That's the second place the ZPD looked for evidence," Disclosing this, he got a horrified look from Nick, he could have sworn Judy smiled. "Also, it kind of collapsed from all the leaking."

In an instant, Nick had his ears pinned behind him. He heard a faint beep as he thought about his friends.

He leaned forward. "Were they-"

Jack waved his paws stopping Nick from further questions. "No, no news reports of any dead tenants."

Only slightly relieved that they weren't in the collapse or found in the search of his apartment, Nick was still worried as to where they were.

While he was still in thought, Jack reached into his vest and pulled out his phone.

Unlocking it and searching for a specific item, he added. "We did, however, manage to impound a van."

Nick hopped down from his chair, eager to find out more.

"What did it look like?" He asked, holding his breath in hopes that it was the right one.

Jack flipped from screen to screen, searching diligently for the vehicle in question. There had to have been hundreds of pictures of various crime scenes or evidence.

Finally, after a solid minute of searching, he finally found the van he was looking for.

"Here." He said, holding the phone just in front of Nick and zooming in.

There it was in all its glory. Orange with four wheels, and bearing the image of a wolf carrying a vixen in his arms. It was the only van in the city that looked like this.

Now more confused than worried, Nick questioned himself as to where they went. This place was a wreck, they couldn't have gone to his apartment, and the van was impounded.

He only came up with one answer, one place left to go, and even he thought it was crazy.

Huffing in disbelief, he answered. "The only person that may know where they are lives in the Nocturnal District."

Upon hearing the location, Jack smirked.

"The underground, huh?" He stated excitedly.

He turned to Judy who had a rather confused stare.

Grinning and shrugging his shoulders, he gave the next assignment. "Well, I guess your search will have to pick up there."

Whereas Jack was beaming with confidence, Judy was nothing but horrified.

"Nocturnal District?" She whispered, catching mixed glances from the others.

Jack, trying not to let tensions flare again, spoke calmly. "Judy, surely you've been there?"

She scratched her ear nervously, but never once changed her expression.

"I've heard of it a couple of times," She admitted. "But I've never been there."

Somewhere in her mind, she didn't want to go. She remembered some of her fellow officers talk of the sheer number of preds there.

It was no place for a lone bunny to be, even if she was a lieutenant.

While Judy contemplated every aspect of the 'underground', she failed to hear Nick snickering at her.

"Yep," He exclaimed, finally gaining her attention. "It's the darkest place in Zootopia, but you'll love it."

Ever so slowly, her ears fell to the side and her mouth fell with them. Her eye twitched slightly as her anger rose.

With a heated and slow tone, she asked. "Why... would I love... to be in the dark... with you?"

Noting her change in voice and motion, Nick continued to badger her.

"Well, with a perfectly balanced carrot only diet, you should have excellent enough night vision escort me." He said mockingly as if it were a fact.

As he finished his little poke at her, he nodded several times to let his glasses fall to his eyes and give him a 'without these I can't see' kind of look.

Though she fumed, and her teeth chattered, Jack couldn't help but laugh at the spectacle.

She visibly shook and started to search for words to say. She hated everything he said, she couldn't do this again.

She turned away from the two and muttered. "You... preds."

Both Nick and Jack stopped their laughing the moment she spoke. Nick, more or less expecting this, resumed his nonchalant stance. Jack, however, knew not to let things get out of hand.

Walking towards the door, he turned to wave at Nick who quizzically looked at him.

"Will you excuse us?" He asked politely, tapping Judy on the shoulder.

She jumped slightly at the sudden touch but recognized that it wasn't the fox.

Tilting his head for her to follow, the two exited the room. Jack closed the door behind them to leave Nick by himself.

The two now entering the park grounds in complete silence, stood just before the wreckage of the roar a coaster.

The soft glow of what was left of the red and blue neon lights helped them see the other in this small time of theirs. Thought the mess itself did nothing to help put their minds at ease, they were at least able to have a reprieve to themselves.

"He's difficult." Judy mumbled.

She had her arms folded and her ears still behind her, she didn't really understand why Jack of all mammals wouldn't just have the fox locked up. He was a hunter, she admired him for what he did.

She heard shuffling behind her but didn't care to see what Jack was doing.

"You should know that he's doing this all in good fun." He replied.

Clenching her paw, she turned to face him. "Why are you taking his side?"

He stood only a few feet behind her, basking in a deep blue and subtle light. He looked somehow different as he stared at her confidently.

Not moving from his relaxed stance he continued. "Had you shot him, you'd both be dead."

Wanting to say something more to her case, Judy leaned in closer, though she stopped because what he had just said made her feel uneasy.

"What?" She inquired.

Jack never took his eyes off her as he spoke. "Remember when I said that a polar bear died from the kill collar?"

Remembering the story, she nodded meekly.

For a moment Jack said nothing, ensuring that he had her full attention. When he did finally feel as though it was time, he crossed his arms.

"It took seconds for it to combust from the voltage, you would have been cooked in an instant." His voice was far calmer than it should have been.

Finally realizing the danger that she was in with the fox's collar close to her, she felt her foot move back slightly on its own. Pulling that trigger would have ended them both.

Jack shook his head at this, uncrossing his arms and looking towards the office.

"I can't help but try to keep him calm, I really don't want to see anyone else die from a kill collar." His voice trailed off as if saddened by the loss of the predator.

Though Judy noticed his change in tone, she could only question what heinous crime the pred did to have the collar on in the first place.

Jack having taken long enough, shook his head and grinned.

He shrugged his shoulders and waved his hands towards the rides. "I mean really, this place is mostly wood,and I like barbecue sauce."

Though he didn't hear any response from Judy, he turned to meet her eye to eye.

"I don't think, however, that barbecued rabbit and roasted fox sounds appetizing." Chuckling at his own sense of humor, he relaxed slightly.

He wanted her to say something, anything to that matter, but she stood there seemingly annoyed. He had hoped she would understand.

"Look, Judy." He sighed. "I'm trying to help the two of you so you can both get what you wanted out of the deal."

Looking her straight in the eye, he could see how tense she had become. She never unclenched her paw, and her ears had risen to match his.

He pointed towards her. "You want to be a huntress? Then you need to gather info and find your target."

He then pointed towards the office. "He wants to gain his freedom? Then he has to help us find who's responsible for this mess."

Hoping his message had gotten across, he waited patiently for her to say something.

Though for a moment nothing was heard, he could see Judy slowly raise her paw and point towards the office door.

"He's still a pred though," She answered with no pity in her tone. "He's earned his collar like all the rest of-"

That was enough.

"He's earned his citizenship like every mammal in this city!" Jack shouted, his echo ringing off the walls of the empty park.

So loud was his voice that they could hear the wood creaking and the lights flickered from the resonance.

Judy took a step back in astonishment. She heard Jack yell before, but not like this. Whereas before, he was trying to make a point, this time, he was far angrier than she could be.

Nearly backing down in fear, Judy felt as though she should say something in apology. As she tried to find the words to do so, she saw Jack begin to clutch at his chest and tremble.

"Jack, are you okay?" She whispered, worried that something may be wrong.

She took a step forward and watched as he fell to his knees, groaning in pain and gasping for breath.

"Jack!" She shrieked, running towards him only to be stopped halfway when he held up his paw.

She watched as he reached into his vest and pull out a small white capsule, shakily swallowing it the second he could.

Though still inching forward as he coughed and sputtered, Judy could see that he had begun to recover slightly.

It took him a few seconds to finally rise to his feet once more, regaining his composure for the moment but huffing from the momentary pain.

"I'm fine." He wheezed.

Despite his reassurance, she was still worried about his wellbeing. "What was that?"

"Nerve damage. Had it since I was young." He informed, breathing steadily and reaching his paws to fix his tie.

"It flares up from time to time, especially when I over stress myself." He admitted, fixing the final loop of his tie and adjusting his suit. "It almost got me and my partner killed on our first mission."

Fully recovering for now, Jack turned his head towards the ceiling. He didn't know how long he stood there, or how long Judy had watched him.

"When you look at this place, Judy," His mellow voice drifted as he watched the lights flicker and fade. "What do you see?"

Taken aback by the sudden change of mood and the question at hand, Judy thought. She knew what she saw here, she didn't need to look around.

"I see the den of the fox that tried to attack me," She began "And a cesspool for lawbreaking preds."

It was quiet after she spoke, not a sound aside from the buzz of the lights.

Jack, still gazing skyward, sighed as he began to speak. "I see someone that, like you, followed their dreams against all odds."

In her mind, she tried to form an argument. She had trained as hard as she could to become a cop. The fox, on the other hand, lied his way into this sham of a business.

Before she could form the words she wanted to say, she watched as Jack slowly turned from his upward stare and looked straight at her.

His visage was that of when he had spoken to Nick earlier, calm and sincere.

He held his paw towards the ceiling and asked. "If this was your dream, in a world that treated you unfairly, how far would you go to hold on it?"

Judy couldn't help but stare at him. From everything she had known about him from news and other sources, he was a ruthless force of nature that never failed to take down the pred he was after.

This, however, was a different Jack than what she had known her whole life. He was far more sympathetic than she could have ever imagined.

Having spoken everything he needed to say, Jack let his paw fall to his side as he walked towards the office again.

"Wait right here." He instructed, prying the door open and turning his head back to her.

Easing his way in, he found one last word of wisdom for her. "We've all lost a lot, Judy. Hopefully now we can help someone before they lose everything."

Having said all that was needed, Jack closed the door. Now Judy herself was alone with her thoughts.

Like before, all Judy could hear was the sound of the lights and creaking wood from time to time. Now, however, she had a lot to think about.

There was so much she wanted to say to Jack, but it always seemed like he was miles ahead of her. She had so many questions, and he had answered her with riddles and what ifs'.

Why did he choose her? She wondered. Why did he choose sympathy for the preds that were so obviously criminals? She questioned.

Jack didn't make sense, even if he was the best of the best.

She mulled over these thoughts for a time, pacing back and forth with only more questions being added with each step.

Soon after so many paces, she could hear the door creak just behind her. She turned to see Jack walk out with Nick close behind him.

The two appeared to be relatively at ease. Though Jack was back to his regal and stalwart self, Nick was more back to the casual fox she had seen before.

"Let's head upstairs." Jack announced, walking briskly past Judy and towards the parks entrance.

She wanted some of her questions answered, but the urgency in his step was far more important now. She quickly followed suit.

Their time spent in backtracking was far easier than their journey downwards. It was brighter and fewer missteps happened. Though there were a few times when new floorboards nearly snapped under them, it was less tedious now.

When they had reached the parking lot, Judy unlocked her cruiser and watched as Jack assisted Nick inside. She herself caught a glimpse of his vehicle.

It sat further back in the lot, solid black and nearly as large as the police car itself. Though it looked interesting, she did notice a fairly large dent on the driver's side and one headlight missing.

She wondered if it was always like that, or if it had something to do with her call. Scratching her ear, she walked back to her vehicle. She'd have to ask him sometime.

Rounding the corner to the driver's side, she met Jack face to face.

He waited until he was sure that she would listen before he spoke.

"There's a terminal in the Savannah by Sousten and Walnut that will take you straight to the underground," He directed her, pointing towards the bridge they came over on the way here. "Nick should know how to access it."

Hearing no protest from Judy, he then tilted his head towards the vehicle. "He doesn't need to be cuffed all the time, he won't harm you."

Judy huffed as she felt frustrated from having the fox around for so long. She wanted to keep him in cuffs for safety but refused to argue with Jack as that was still in her power.

"And yes it's dark, but there are plenty of lights down there," Furthering his instruction, Jack looked down to his watch. "The Nocturnal District comes to life about now, so head there and find his friends."

Nodding in agreement, Judy took a step forward to ask something of him. "Where will you be?"

Jack pointed towards the clinic. "I'm gonna search a bit more for anything the ZPD may have looked over."

Though she questioned how thorough a search he could do, she remembered how the ZPD had missed a very important document on its own.

As Jack began to walk towards the clinic, he called out to her. "Also, I've made arrangements for a colleague of mine to watch over you when you arrive, but call me when you're done."

Relieved slightly that Jack had a fellow FERAL member looking out for her, she popped open the driver's side door.

Before she hopped in, she heard Jack, only a few feet away, call her again. "And Judy, if you want better results, don't call him fox or pred, call him by his name!"

As this little bit of information rang through her ears, she froze. She traced her memories but never once remembered calling him anything other than 'fox' or 'pred'.

Carefully, she looked up into the rearview mirror to see Nick grinning at her.

She shook her head, closed the door, and started the car. It was going to be one long drive.

* * *

* Next time on Zootopia Au: Predation *

Deep deep down, we find ourselves constantly waking

We sleep and slumber, but toss and turn in the night

But at what moment do you sleep, and when are you awake?

It was eerily quiet and far darker than she could bear without her flashlight.

"Carrots, put away the gun before she sees it!"

"It was the Bellweathers that started this whole mess."

* * *

"Zealously you accused me 'It's because of what you are!'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! It's done, this is the end of chapter two (Feeling's Mutual). And so begins chapter 3... I'm loving writing it...

A new Nick and Finnick will be out sometime next week!

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

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dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	11. Vereor Nox?

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows,fav's and reviews (Honestly, it helps me think)! This arc and the next arc have me incredibly excited to write them (No spoilers though). Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Three: Pitch Black

'Vereor Nox?'

* * *

"As you held out your hand in the dark, I asked. 'Where are you taking me?"

* * *

[February 4, 'Sahara Square' 5:37 PM]

It had taken some time for the two to travel from one side of the city to the next. Crossing the bridge from Happy Town around rush-hour was a surprisingly difficult task, and getting through Sahara Square was always tedious.

Though their destination hadn't been as far as the prison, the area that Jack had told Judy about was unfamiliar territory to her. Thankfully she had a little help from a guide she considered less than savory.

"It's on your next left." Nick announced.

He had been guiding Judy down the busy streets of the square for a little while now. As he had been here many times himself, he was easily able to determine the fastest route.

While she hadn't said much of a word to him this time, he did listen as she had radioed the ZPD about her location. Not that it mattered much to him, but he was at least happy that the rabbit wasn't chewing him out for the time being.

He was even able to sit in the chair this time, with a little help from Jack of course. Much to his surprise, it was slightly more comfortable than the floor. The thing that mostly drew his attention were the familiar buildings they passed by on every street.

"Is this the place?" Judy asked begrudgingly.

While she did want to get to the Nocturnal District quickly, her having to rely on the foxes word in an area that she rarely came to was nerve wrecking. Even if Jack had assured her that things would be fine, a gnawing feeling in the back of her mind told her otherwise.

"Sure is," Nick replied, tilting his head to see the exact spot he was looking for "Right at this building."

Almost instantly he regretted telling her that they were upon their destination as he felt the car come to an immediate stop. He may have been in the seat of the car this time, but he was never once buckled in.

Once the car came to a screeching halt, Judy quickly cut the engine off and unbuckled herself. She heard a sickening thud in the back followed by a low sounding grunt.

She shook her head and ignored both sounds, questioning why he bothered to be seated in the first place. At least they had managed to reach the place they were searching for, hopefully.

For a moment, she looked out the window to see the building they would enter.

It was a brick apartment complex that, judging by its poor upkeep, had seen much better days.

The red painted bricks had long since faded, shingles had fallen off in various directions. Every window had been boarded up, and the grass by that surrounded it had almost grown into a meadow of its own.

Shaking her head in disbelief that this was the place, she reached for her belongings.

As she knew it was dark, she brought her flashlight. She also took her coat as well as her small radio just incase, she would be prepared for anything at a moments notice.

She opened her car door and hopped out gracefully onto the sidewalk. Fixing her coat and sighing at the nearly condemned building before her, she pulled the door open to usher the fox out.

Not nearly as gracefully as her, or even standing at this point, Nick slowly rose back to his feet. He had fallen in such an awkward way that he had to roll to his back and use the seat as leverage to ease himself up.

The rabbit's ability to drive was slowly chipping at him. He wondered constantly if she was doing this on purpose, of if she genuinely didn't know how to drive properly.

Finally to his feet and trying to fix his glasses back to a more comfortable position, Nick walked forward to the open door. He could tell Judy was impatiently awaiting him, but he took his time nonetheless. She owed him a few seconds for the minor damages done.

He carefully hopped down to the ground, rebalancing himself once he landed. Now standing on even footing, he turned his attention to the building.

"Okay, where is it?" Judy asked, closing and locking the door behind Nick.

She walked around him, watching him carefully until she came to a stop and tapped her foot rapidly. To her thought, there was no way that this was the entrance to the underground; even if the street names were correct, this wasn't it, he was stalling.

Nick watched her as she grew more impatient, the sight alone made him smile the whole way. He knew inwardly that she wouldn't like the answer, but he had to break the news to her sometime.

Faking a cough to clear his throat, Nick answered. "Officer Carrots, you are standing on it."

"What?" Judy questioned, raising a brow at his statement.

She carefully looked down, ensuring that there was enough distance between her and Nick for him not to make any sudden move. The moment she realized what he implied sent a cold chill down her spine.

Seeing her surprise, Nick continued. "It's an access tunnel."

Just below her feet, as was told, was a rather large metal cover. She knew the design that had appeared all throughout the city, and she knew they only lead to one direction, straight down.

Tearing her eyes away from the fact that it wasn't the building but the sewers that they would need to crawl through, Judy furiously met Nick's cheerful gaze.

"Jack never mentioned an access tunnel." She argued, hoping to catch Nick in some kind of falsified act again.

Nevertheless, he stood there patiently; grinning as wide as ever in mockery to Judy's dismay.

Again, Judy sought another route. There had to be another way to get there faster, she had to know. "What's your game this time?"

Her question rang through the empty street they were on and only moved Nick to take a step forward.

He chuckled at her hesitation. Though he couldn't tell exactly why she didn't want to go this way, he knew it was their best bet.

"He did say that it was the closest entrance to the 'Underground', correct?" Nick chided, tilting his head towards the tunnel and setting his eyes on Judy.

Hearing Nicks's justification made her all the more uneasy. It was true that Jack did say this particular location and that it was below the surface, but that made everything much more difficult for her.

Sighing and tapping her foot more fervently than before, Judy thought of her best course of action. She just needed to get the information from his 'friends', and then it was back to the prison with him.

Not even taking the time to figure any plan further, she reached for a part of the tunnels plate that was easy enough for her to lift. Thankfully, for both of them, it wasn't as heavy as a sewer cover.

Though she struggled for a second to get it open, she felt it get easier after a few tries of lifting it just above her shoulder height and push it the rest of the way.

With a metallic clang, the tunnel was open and allowed them to view inside. Nick was the first to look down the open space.

While not surprisingly dark, it was at least fit with a crude ladder system to make their journey a little easier. Their, mostly his, need for broken legs was not part of this investigation.

As he continued to peer down the tunnel to see any light source, two clicks just at his ear level caught his attention.

The first click brought light with it and helped him see the ladder a little better. The second, however, made him near jump back when he looked to see what it was.

Judy had once again drawn her taser and was aiming down the tunnel. Whether or not she had intended to fire it or scare him, he didn't know.

"You know, you don't have to pull out a gun at everything, right?" Nick asked nervously.

Peering up at him, and unfazed by his judgment, Judy answered. "And you don't get to tell me how to do my job."

After a moment of him standing a few feet away, he regained his composure and knew Judy wasn't going to aim at him this time.

"Will you relax," He sighed, shaking his head and approaching Judy slowly. "The Nocturnal District isn't that bad, alright?"

Though she couldn't exactly shoot him, Judy would still be more than willing to take him down at a moments notice.

She twitched her nose at his attempt to catch her off guard, she wouldn't believe for a second that this wouldn't be a nightmare of an experience.

For a moment, nothing was said between the two. Both idly stared at the other, Judy with hot coals in her eyes, and Nick with an easy going smirk.

Fidgeting slightly and swishing his tail across the ground, Nick coyly asked. "So, can you un-cuff me?"

Judy, at his question, nearly raised her arm to aim at him. Though it was nothing more than a twitch, she remembered what Jack had told her.

It didn't stop her, however, from gripping the weapon a little tighter.

"Why would I give you the chance to attack me again?" She inquired, her voice on the verge of a yell.

Nick thought for a moment, he had half expected her to 'escort' him back to the car thus ending their short trip. This, however, could be his only chance to feel his arms again.

Taking all of this into account, he knew what to do.

"Last time I guess I was just resisting arrest." He proclaimed, shrugging his shoulders and leaning closer to Judy. "I can only attack with insults now."

Judy could feel herself on the verge of losing it. How could he brush off his attack as 'resisting arrest'? If she wasn't in full gear for the raid, she couldn't fathom what could have happened to her that time.

Before she could even protest, she heard Nick sigh and face towards the car.

"Come on Carrots, now you should know that I can't run away with this thing on," He admitted, tilting his head up and showing his set of collars. "And, I can't climb down there with these on."

He furthered his argument by turning to the side to reveal the set of cuffs he'd had on since they started.

To him, they were uncomfortable and irritating, but to Judy, it was a safety measure that she didn't want to be taken lightly.

Nick waited for her to say something, but as time passed, she just stood staring at him. He had to try something else.

He let his shoulders relax as he took a deep breath. When he was ready, he faced Judy with a mellow stance and tone.

"Look, I know you don't trust me, despite me being a model citizen," He began, stating it as near fact while the faintest of smiles grew on him. "But I'm only trying to help you."

Judy didn't know what to say or think, it was true that she didn't trust him. Though he was certainly no model citizen, and his level of help had yet to prove itself; she couldn't exactly toss him down the tunnel and hope he'd survive, Jack would be furious with her.

"Besides, I'd have to answer to Jack," Nick added, his shaky voice catching her attention and making her ears twitch. "And I, for one, don't want to know what happens when you anger a bunny who will by all means, find you."

Though Nick never showed it, he could feel a chill run down his back. He had never met a rabbit that in one day tried to get him leeway, and simultaneously stop an officer from nearly killing him.

Judy, stalwart as ever, stared at him with a renewed perspective. Just like her, he'd answer to Jack as the investigation was a joint commission. Even after putting her in harms way, Jack was trying to protect her.

She questioned at that moment, just what Jack had spoken to Nick about. If it was enough to get the fox to quiver in fear, then he had truly done or said something in her favor. She'd have to thank him later for that.

Though a second thought nearly made her scratch that thanks altogether. Jack did say that he didn't need to be cuffed all the time, and this, unfortunately, was one of them. She had no choice but to comply.

She sighed, mentally bracing her for any attack possible. Even if there was a chance that he could get his teeth around her, she would have no choice but to take him down.

Eyeing the grinning fox one last time, she resigned herself to having to free him. She reached into her pocket and grabbed the small key.

"No sudden movements." She commanded, walking cautiously to his side.

Smiling at the potential promise of freedom, Nick answered. "Sure thing Carrots."

He stood still, never glancing towards her just incase she changed her mind. Not even a strand of fur on his tail moved, though he didn't hold his breath.

Now at his back, Judy began to place the key into the cuffs and unlatch them. As she tried to loose the first one, she slightly brushed her foot against Nicks tail causing her to hop back a few feet.

Once she landed, she struck a defensive posture and mindlessly hovered her paw over her weapon.

Nick, no longer feeling the cuffs being loosened, turned his head to see Judy staring him down. He soon noticed that she was poised to strike, but he made no sudden movement.

"Are you always this jumpy?" He asked, half fretting the outcome of the question.

In her mind, Judy saw only him attacking her again. This, however, wasn't the situation at hand. Nick hadn't moved aside from criticizing her, but her instinct didn't allow her to lower her paw for nearly a minute.

She breathed heavily, calming herself down as the fox patiently waited for her to try again. Soon enough, after seeing no attempt by Nick to followthrough, she placed her paw back to the side and slowly walked to him again.

Once she reached him, she resumed her efforts to remove the cuffs. This time, she ensured that she would remain diligent until it was done despite her reluctance.

"Baby steps carrots." Nick teased, feeling one cuff loose itself.

He hadn't even had the other cuff off when Judy replied. "Shut it."

With a click, Nick could feel the other cuff being removed from him. He quickly brought his paws to his face, finally being able to see them for the first time since they left the prison.

Distracted by his new found 'freedom', Nick never saw Judy walk around him and to the tunnel's ladder. She had managed to take the cuffs that were only slightly larger than his wrist and fasten it to her belt. While they weren't particularly heavy, the added weight was slightly cumbersome.

"I'll go first." She said, switching her flashlight on and waving it down to hopeful see the bottom.

Judy didn't want to take any chances. If she was below Nick, then she would have the advantage incase he tried anything against her.

Finally feeling better about not being cuffed, Nick smiled and walked closer to her.

"After you madam." He mocked, playfully bowing as he watched her quickly jump down and grab onto the ladder.

Her approach, though dangerous, ensured her a head start of at least a few seconds. Sure enough, she saw Nick just above her climbing down.

Due to her size, it was slightly more difficult to maneuver. She found it a lot easier to simply hold the flashlight in her teeth as she made her descent.

She could still hear Nick above her, climbing at an even pace while she herself frantically went a little faster. Eventually, the light from the surface had faded and they were in complete darkness aside from her flashlight.

Judy never knew how long they climbed down, but ever so often, she would tilt her head to cause the light to shine towards what she supposed was the bottom. After a few times of this, she caught sight of the floor just below them.

Thinking quickly as to distance herself and Nick, she climbed a little further down until she felt comfortable enough to jump. Once she reached the threshold of her falling distance, she let go of the ladder.

It took her a second or two to reach the ground, but as she did so, she rolled to her side to break her fall and avoid injuring herself. She immediately loosed the flashlight from her teeth with one paw and clutched her taser in the other.

While she never took the gun off her belt, if there was anyone waiting for them down here, they wouldn't like the end result of messing with one of the most decorated in the ZPD.

She shone her flashlight down one end of the tunnel and then to the other. Both sides had relatively the same thing, cold gritty stone, and murky dark passageways.

It smelled of mold and fetid water but was surprisingly dry for the part that they were in. She couldn't tell how old it was, but from the looks of it had to be part of the cities oldest set of tunnels.

There was nobody there, for now at least. It was just them, and Judy could hear the fox coming her way.

"Quite an entrance there," Nick chuckled, taking his sweet time in getting down the ladder. "You should have tried out as an athlete."

She paid no heed to his word as he reached the ground. He was still difficult, but at least he did comply instead of run away. She felt slightly better that they were alone, though she was still nervous about traveling with the fox.

"Let's go," Nick directed, waving for her to follow. "You're gonna love it here."

Without even taking the time wait for her, he walked down the tunnel. He could soon tell that she was following him as her flashlight quickly faced towards his direction.

"It's dark." Judy protested, feeling uneasy.

It was eerily quiet and far darker than she could bear without her flashlight, and had it not been for the fact that it was on, she wouldn't have any way to see or deal with threats easily.

Just ahead of her, she could hear Nick snickering for some reason. She didn't know what it was about, but she was both curious and annoyed.

"In the tunnels, yes," Nick stated, peering left and right down a corridor before moving forward. "But, in the main district, never."

Now she was intrigued, how could this place never be without lights? It was a glorified cave system from what she had been told.

So many things ran through her head about the place, but the thing that kept circling her thoughts was the smell. It had become somewhat nauseating, and the encroaching darkness didn't help her psyche at all.

"How much further?" She asked, drawing breath after breath of the musty air.

As she asked, this, she watched as Nick turned to see down a crossway. Just as before, he looked in both directions, but this time, he smiled widely at what he had seen.

"Here we are." He announced, heading in the direction that caught his attention.

Not wanting to fall behind, Judy picked up her pace as she saw his tail disappear. Since she had no intention to lose sight of him, she perked up her ears to ensure that he was still in range.

Hearing the click of his feet as she rounded the corner to catch up, she watched as he made his way towards a solid iron door.

Nick smiled and tilted his head towards it and waited for her to approach. Once she was standing only a few feet away, he reached for the door handle.

"Officer Carrots," He announced, pulling the heavy door open and nearly covering his ears from the creek of metal. "Welcome to the Nocturnal District."

As the door opened, Judy couldn't believe her eyes. A dance of lights filled the tunnel that they were in, and with it the musty smell dissipated at once.

She could clearly see figures in the distance, mammals of all kinds and lives as busy as the streets above.

Nick continued to smile at her, holding his arm towards the door in an attempt to usher her in. He watched happily as she soon clicked her flashlight off and walked towards him.

* * *

"Not questioning my own fears I looked back and said. 'To a place where light shines brighter.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! Chapter 3 is finally here and I'm chipping away at it bit by bit.

Also, a new Nick and Finnick will be out sometime this week!

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	12. In The Brilliant Darkness

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows,fav's and reviews (Honestly, it helps me think)! This arc and the next arc have me incredibly excited to write them (No spoilers though) Also I do have a question for all my readers about music (more at the bottom). Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Three: Pitch Black

'In The Brilliant Darkness'

* * *

"As you held out your hand in the dark, I asked. 'Where are you taking me?"

* * *

[February 4, 'Nocturnal District' 6:05 PM]

Judy stood in awe, captivated by the sheer unfamiliarity at the spectacle. Just beyond the door was a world she had never imagined underground.

While still leery of the ever grinning fox, she took a few steps forward. She didn't like the idea of him standing behind her at all.

Nick had himself propped against the door to hold it in place as Judy walked just past noticed how skittish she was every time she got too close and this was no exception.

She scurried past him once she was about half way through the threshold of the door and hugged a nearby wall. The cuffs she had fastened around her waist jingled and rattled against one another with every spring of her step.

Nick huffed and shook his head. Despite Judy's tough cop attitude, he could tell that she still had her fears. Not that he was truly bothered by it, he shrugged his shoulders and let the door close behind him.

The screeching sound of the door shutting sent echoes throughout the tunnel but blended in with the sounds of the underground to them. Having latched back in place, the two now were face to face with the Nocturnal District itself.

Judy, with her back against the wall, momentarily glanced over to Nick to make sure he hadn't retreated back into the tunnels. After catching eye of the fox walking towards the glow of lights, she was only grateful that she wouldn't have to chase him down for now.

As she watched, her eyes wandered from him to the strange and breathtaking view around her. It wasn't just a system of caves that she had believed it was, no, it was amazing.

The first thing she noticed was how welcoming the district was. So much was her admiration that her ears fell without her notice.

Unlike the dank and dreary tunnels, it was warm and teeming with life. The air was crisp and didn't reek of city pollution and garbage.

When she began to move, she noticed the finer details of her surroundings. The wall she stood against was a mix of smoothly cut stone set just below stalagmites.

There was a paved path leading from the tunnel door to a small bridge and luminous waterway that separated them from the town just ahead. The bridge itself was well lit as were the buildings and seemingly fauna ahead.

Baffled at the realization that there were even buildings down here, Judy took a glance toward the sky only to be cut off by the sheer height of the ceiling.

Though mostly still a mess of stalactites, there were numerous luminescent spheres of varying size and color strewn about. They alone allowed her to view the ceiling cave as if they were hundreds of stars.

While it wasn't necessarily as high as the megastructures of Downtown, it was surprisingly roomy. She could make out a few well lit buildings farther away that had to be at least a few stories tall.

Some of them had surrounded buildings that stretched from the ground to the ceiling. One, in particular, was easily identified as a hospital with a red cross flashing on the face of its connected roof; others were labeled as numerous businesses, banks, and other such necessary establishments.

Taking all of this in, she wondered just how far they had climbed down. She had known that they did climb for a while, but had no clue that it was the equivalent of a buildings worth.

'Maybe the tunnels took us lower?' She reasoned with herself.

She had become so engrossed with the sights that she didn't even know she had begun to walk towards the bridge. She clicked her toes across the smoothed out path and darted her eyes about, she had been so excited to see what was next that she had nearly forgotten to pay attention to where she was going herself.

In moments of her nearly skipping, she was met with a solid object that startled her. Recoiling from the impact, she placed her paw on her forehead and shook off the feeling.

Slightly embarrassed at her mistake, she looked up to see what she ran into. To her immediate surprise, she had somehow walked straight into Nick.

In an instant, her ears hiked themselves and she shuffled back a few feet as quickly as she could, she didn't want to give him a chance to get any closer. If she needed to cuff him then she'd need a little time and distance to be effective.

He had been standing at the railing of the small bridge a few feet in front of her, idly swishing his tail and looking down into the waterway. The moment she had disturbed him, he glanced over to her with a calm and cheerful smile.

He then tilted his head towards the water under the bridge and proceeded to walk further across. With his hand still gliding across the smooth cut stone railing, he clicked his nails as he strode.

Carefully, after double checking that she had every possible means to detain him, she followed slowly in his path. Though she was curious to see what he was trying to tell her, she didn't know if it was worth her time.

While walking behind him, she let her eyes stray for a moment to the waters below. The moment she did, her whole head turned to see the stunning and odd view.

Her jaw dropped at how clear the water was, she could see all the way to the bottom where it was glowing with underwater lighting. It flowed slowly, soft ripples clashed against one another but it still shone like a flawless mirror; so much so that she could even see the luminescent ceiling in its reflection.

There were schools of small fish swimming aimlessly in any direction. Their shadows cast on either side of the waterway made it seem like there were many more than she could imagine.

It intrigued her more and more that every moment something new and interesting caught her off-guard.

While she silently watched in amazement, she heard a very faint sound. Her ears turned in attention to catch it before she did. In that moment, she saw Nick snickering.

"I told you you'd love it down here." He chuckled, tilting his head up and walking backward off the bridge.

Judy wasn't amused by his statement or his behavior. While she didn't disagree that, for the time, it was pleasant; her every thought mulled over the possibility of anything terrible happening at any moment.

She shook her head and moved away from the railing of the bridge. It had been an interesting sight, but she had more work to be done. Within a few seconds, she once again trailed Nick at a safe distance into the busier part of the district.

Nick walked at a moderate pace, even for his size. It wasn't too difficult for Judy to catch up to him as she constantly found herself wandering from sight to sight.

After that had made it past the bridge, they came to a well-populated area that housed several small establishments of all walks of life. Judy's eyes traced from place to place, seeing everything ranging from grocery stores and restaurants to furniture shops and many others.

She noticed that the pathway was slightly different from what she was used to. Above ground it was a concrete sidewalk's and mostly smooth paved streets, here, however, the sidewalks were lit and made of hewn stone while the streets were oddly made of nothing more than bricks.

Stranger than that to her were the residents themselves. They walked by nearly every kind of mammal possible. She saw small herd of Zebra pass by them on the other side of the street, and a few big cats stood by chatting to one another in front of a convenience store.

There were seen several moose running to and fro clad in business attire, while a raccoon strode by only glancing at them. They strode by several sheep at a club that paid no heed to them, and Nick was even given a passing hello by a bear or two.

While they walked, Judy's mind wandered. She had no idea where this even was, or even if they were still in the Savannah. With this many species, there was no way that this was all just one area.

"Where is this place?" She asked, confounded that this was so vastly different from the surface.

Just ahead of her, Nick continued his pace. Never looking backward, he shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, just the underground between Downtown and the Savannah."

Judy couldn't believe what her ears had heard, and this time, not because it came from the fox.

"The entire district?" She gasped.

Just as she said that, she saw Nick turn around and walk backward. He faced her eye to eye, without a care to who he may bump into.

"Some of it," He started, pointing his paws left and right. "It stretches out to some other areas, but this is the heart of the town."

In her thoughts, she tried to reason on how such a huge and wondrous part of Zootopia was here without her ever knowing. Had it not been for her working a case, she could see her visiting this area for fun someday.

"Just the kind of nightlife for mammals like myself, just miles of food and fun," Nick continued, finally facing in the direction he was waling once more. "But, oddly enough, most of the places don't open until morning though."

This struck her as a bit of a no-brainer. Many businesses opened in the morning, but how was that different from here she wondered?

Taking a chance, her curiosity asked for her. "How's that odd?"

As she asked her question, they passed by a local restaurant. She caught a faint whiff of fresh bread that immediately reminded her that she hadn't eaten since she left the precinct. Only then did she feel her stomach grumble, she had to remind herself to stop somewhere once they find what they were looking for.

"Well, time's kind of... reversed here," Nick answered, sniffing the air and wishing he was free enough to get food somewhere. "Since more than half of the residents are nocturnal mammals, they start their day late."

While he too felt slightly hungry from the smell of the restaurant, he shook his head in hopes to stave off hunger long enough to meet his friends, wherever they may be.

"Most of the late night stuff is open early in the morning," He continued, walking to the corner of the sidewalk they were on and stopping before the intersection. "And a lot of the morning restaurants and businesses open up at night."

Judy took this into account. While she had seen several nocturnal mammals here, she didn't think that things would be as different here as she could have imagined.

While still behind Nick, she looked up to see the streetlight looming above them. It too was as odd as its surroundings. Though they were nearly the same on every corner, they all looked as if they were from a long forgotten era.

As she came to stop at the corner just a few feet away, she took a moment to think to herself. She was to get the information and report to Jack, but one thing bothered her.

'Where's Jack's colleague?' She thought.

Jack had specifically told her that she would have someone to watch over them once they got here, but since her arrival, she had seen neither hide nor hair of his supposed partner.

It slightly worried her, but still, she trusted Jack to make the right call. If he said there would be someone to watch them, then there should be someone there. Maybe it was that she wasn't looking hard enough.

Believing that this may be the case, she focused her attention on every detail of her surroundings. Many of the things were blending into the same pattern, but the absence of one thing now caught her attention.

"Wait a sec," She said in both panic and disbelief. "Where are all the cars?"

Nick, hearing her voice her concern, walked across the intersection. He had waited just long enough to get his bearings on the quickest path for them to go.

Once about halfway across, he answered. "There are a few, but not many in this town."

Judy didn't quite understand. She followed Nick across the street, patiently awaiting for him to elaborate on how this could be.

"They use mostly trolleys and other public transportation," He explained, glancing back at Judy to emphasize why. "I know from experience that it isn't easy to get one car down here, even in the lifts."

Having crossed the street he shuddered from his own memories surfacing against him. He brushed it off though as it was far past him.

Judy couldn't help but ponder this problem. If cars were a rare commodity here, then what would happen if someone was hurt or needed help?

"What about the hospital and police force?" She added.

There was no way that even if the town was brilliant and beautiful that nothing ever happened here.

To this matter, Nick sighed. He knew fully well what Judy was trying to get at, incase she needed to call for her backup on him. Thought the hospital sounded like a decent place for now.

He resigned himself to reply. "They do have emergency transports that are up all the time, but nothing too extensive."

Glad to have some semblance of easily mobile law in the district with her, she took a deep relaxing breath of relief. If things went wrong with Nick and his 'friends' then she would have at least a backup plan, even if Jack's colleague never showed themselves.

Another question soon came to her mind. "So where's this person that we can get your file from?"

As Nick heard this, he huffed in slight annoyance. "Well, we can't get the file from her."

Judy narrowed her eyes slightly at this. Was he playing some trick again? He did say that they were here for this supposed file, but this was proving a difficult task.

Gritting her teeth at his possible deception, she protested. "Then why did you-"

Before she could get another word in, Nick raised his paw in hopes to silence her.

Having been effective, and seeing the fury once again coursing itself in her eyes, he reminded her. "I said that she's the only one that may know where Finnick and Clawhouser are."

As quickly as he said this, Judy could feel herself a little less tense. Though she was still upset that he of all mammals would correct her, he was still telling her what he did say earlier.

Sighing out of impatience, Judy crossed her arms as they continued down the street.

"Then show me where she is." She ordered, not wanting to waste time any further in sightseeing.

Just ahead of her, she could see Nick scratching his head as they came to another intersection.

"Might be easier to cut through the park," He informed her, looking down one street in particular and slowly turning down it. "Right this way."

He waved Judy forward and walked towards a more open area ahead. She could see faint glows emanating from the area and large trees just in front of them.

Though Nick did get a little farther ahead of her, she still questioned a lot of things that were happening with her right now.

'He did say someone would watch me, right?' She asked herself.

Still a little skeptical about this unfamiliar mammal, she kept her pace and continued to trail the fox all while in wonder of both the area and her mission.

* * *

"In hopes that we could understand one another I replied. 'To the land that many falsely fear to tread.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! Chapter 3 is here and I'm chipping away at it bit by bit (was supposed to be 3 chapters, but it needs to be a bit more than that now...).

And a question for all the readers out there. What would you all think of a music suggestion for future (and maybe current and previous) chapters of this story? I know I won't be able to post the full link (except maybe on Archive of our Own in notes) but it would allow for a good atmosphere. Please let me know what you think.

Also, a new Nick and Finnick will be out sometime this weekend!

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	13. Luminous Trail

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows,fav's and reviews (Honestly, it helps me think)! This arc and the next arc have me incredibly excited to write them (No spoilers though) Also I do have a question for all my readers about music (more at the bottom). Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Three: Pitch Black

'Luminous Trail'

* * *

"As you held out your hand in the dark, I asked. 'Where are you taking me?"

* * *

[February 4, 'Nocturnal District' 6:27 PM]

The two continued down the street towards the supposed park that Nick had mentioned moments ago. It was empty and quiet for the both of them, not a fellow patron in sight, and the only sound heard was their clicking toes across the brick pavement.

While Nick took the lead, he walked only as fast as need be. He hadn't been able to have this much freedom in some time, but still wanted to ensure that he wouldn't mess up his only shot at having his freedom remain permanent.

Judy, however, was still mulling over the case and the whereabouts of Jacks colleague. She kept her pace even to keep the fox just in sight.

'What kind of mammal could they be?' She questioned.

Having seen Jack and known from media reports and news articles that his agency had more than just him, but surprisingly few, she began to try and piece together who and what would be assisting her.

She hadn't even realized that she had spaced out, mindlessly trailing Nick as she put recalled the few details she remembered over the years.

From every angle, she could see the faces of the members that had appeared every now and then. Mentally she thumbed through the index of the varied faces of Feral.

'Let's see, there was Jack, a moose, a rhino, a mouse,' She listed, putting up a digit from her paw for each one. 'A deer, an elephant, a lemming, and...'

Though she didn't know how or why some of them were considered hunters like Jack, from the way he spoke of them, they seemed equally competent to make their mark.

She eventually stopped thinking of what possible species the mystery assistant could be. There were countless mammals in the city, and so many kinds that she couldn't think of any that would fit perfectly into his vague description of 'colleague'.

She could barely remember the few she had seen at any time around Jack, let alone find one that may or may not be somewhere close or far away from her.

'They could be anybody' She sighed, letting her paws fall to her side.

While she knew inwardly that there had to be some way of figuring it out, it bothered her to no end to have such little information to go by. Step by step she worried more and more as they ventured further into the district.

So much was her focus on the trustworthiness and timeliness of the one said to help her, that she had jumped nearly several feet high when she heard a sharp screeching noise in the direction she was facing.

As she found even footing when she landed, she positioned herself ready to fend off anything that came her way. Poised and able to strike at a moments notice, she focused her eyes and ears towards the source of the noise.

It itself was too loud for her to endure too long and she covered her ears with her paws to prevent further damage.

To her immediate surprise, she saw Nick crouching and holding his paws to his ears as well. Much like her, the noise was detrimental to his ears.

Judy, unsure of what the sound was, carefully taking a step forward. She soon found that the sound itself seemed to emanate from him. This alone made her question whether or not he had managed to find some way to distract her or something to use against her.

Though Jack had told her not to use her weapon, she had quietly wished that she had at least a tranq gun with her. She could still deal with dragging him around if need be.

After a few seconds of enduring the grueling and ear piercing sound, it suddenly vanished without a trace. It left them alone, both still reeling from the sudden shock of what had just happened.

Judy, being the first to recover, lifted her paws up and took note of what she just experienced. She questioned how the fox was able to make such a horrific sound.

With caution and full of questions, she looked around her to see if anyone or anything was out of place. Upon noticing nobody but Nick and, see him shudder slightly, she shivered herself.

'Was that an alarm? Was he trying to alert someone?' She thought, frantically searching for any possible answer to the sudden change in Nick's behavior.

Immediately, she reached for her radio, believing herself to be in greater danger than she could imagine. If he somehow managed to call for help, then her taser would be useless in this situation.

Before she could pull it off her belt, she watched Nick remove his paws from his ears and turn to face her.

"Carrots?" He chattered, his voice panicked as he lifted himself slowly off the ground.

Angered that he could only call her in such a derogatory manner, she tore her paw away from her radio and pointed at him accusingly.

"That's Lieutenant, Hop-"

She couldn't finish her sentence as she saw watched Nick fidget with the collars fixed to his neck.

"What are you doing?" She asked, taking a step back.

She watched as he tugged lightly at it, trying desperately to paw at the mechanism to no avail.

While she understood that the collars were made to be tamper-proof, the yellow color on his tame collar meant that he would soon be shocked unless he stopped.

Very soon, Nick felt just that. The shock was minor enough to get him to abandon his futile attempt of getting rid of the thing.

He removed his paws from his neck, huffing slightly as he tried to regain composure. For a moment, he just tried to breathe away his problem.

Judy, on the other hand, wanted to know exactly what he was up to.

"What was that sound?" She asked, not believing for a moment that he wasn't trying to hatch an escape plan.

Still practically panting from his sudden experience, he turned away from her.

"Jack told me, it goes off every six hours, until you have six left," He wheezed, nearly on the edge of dry heaving at the realization of what may happen to him. "Then it beeps every hour until..."

He fell silent, feeling that the both of them knew full well what he meant. He didn't want to continue to go through with this now, he would have gladly chosen the cage over the possibility of his life ending at the hands of this rabbit again.

Subconsciously, he brought his paw to the back of his neck. Time wasn't on his side in this case.

The thought alone made him want to hurry forward, he couldn't afford to make mistakes or take longer roads. He wanted to see his friends again and get back to have the thing removed.

"We just, need to get through the park," He claimed, though his voice was far quieter than he had thought. "She has a house on the other side."

Judy watched this whole thing unfold. From Nick cowering from the noise to him walking into the park. While she was glad that the tame collar was keeping him under control, she had no idea that the kill collar was that powerful.

She had heard plenty of stories of preds attacking even with their tame collars fully active. But this was the first time that she had seen a predator fully comply with what was necessary for the greater good of the city.

Thinking of how the two worked together for her safety, she had quietly thanked their manufacturing company.

While doing so and walking forward to catch up to Nick, she had noticed that the scenery had changed before her eyes. Moments ago she was walking down a street towards some park, but only now she noticed a fence and railing.

On the fence was a plaque that that read 'Luminous Trail'.

She stepped forward, taking in the new area with as much appreciation as she did when she first entered the city.

The first thing she noticed was how the pathway was lit by lamps much like the street corners they had passed by earlier. Though these were painted differently, they offered a more calming light with the peaceful area.

Under many of the lights, she could easily see benches and other seats fit for mammals of different kinds. Some were purely made of large stones, while others were not much larger than her own chair at work.

She felt the ground below her and turned to see not a single brick, but finely ground gravel that was edged with cut stones on both sides. Beyond the edges, she could see a field of grass illuminated by lights either shining down on it or shimmering below.

Every now and then she could see a few trees, some of which were taller than the buildings they had passed by earlier. While she didn't know what kinds they were, some of them were luminous and glowed softly with a bluish green light.

Further in, she could see a fountain that spat water every few seconds. Though she didn't really think much of them, from the lighting and colors that changed on it at intervals, it was something that she made a note to come back and see again someday.

She wondered how she had even managed to get there so quickly without noticing it from afar. Had she been so absorbed in wondering who Jack's contact was that she failed to check her surroundings?

While thinking to do so even the more, she saw how far ahead Nick was in front of her. She sighed as she couldn't let him get out of sight too far.

Picking up her pace she looked around to see only a few other mammals in the park with them. Though to her, it was late, here, as she was told, it was still early.

She saw an antelope jogging by her with a determined look and a phone in his hooves. There was a hippo resting by the side of the fountain, gazing in awe and waving their arms around in the water.

As she neared Nick, she managed to catch sight of a hedgehog scurrying away from one of the many benches. Thought there were only a few mammals there, she did manage to see a small Koala standing by the side of a glowing tree that watched her as she closed in on the fox.

Though she typically saw koalas as something cute and cuddly, the odd and almost lifeless stare that this nocturnal creature had somehow creeped her out.

'That's a bit, unsettling.' She thought, shaking off the feeling and believing it to be just another non-morning mammal.

Within a few steps, she found herself at a safe distance from Nick again. Though just ahead, she could see him waving towards someone.

As they had passed by the fountain and she could see another figure heading steadily towards them. While she didn't know who this was, if it was a friend of Nick's then they could be dangerous.

Cautiously staying within range, she waited until she could see who it was that he had gestured to.

Whoever they were seemed panicked, racing towards them and stumbling as they neared.

Judy, seeing this behavior as strange, took a step back in fear that this may be some crazed citizen, and very likely a predator.

Soon enough, the mammal came into view. A possum, slightly taller than Nick, but somehow thinner than what she had seen their species to be.

He approached Nick, huffing and out of breath, but somehow very silent in doing so. He lowered his head and grabbed at his knees in order to breathe deeply if only for a moment.

Judy didn't know what to say or think but cautiously determined that if she was in trouble, she would act without hesitation.

"Hey, Salt." Nick greeted, walking over towards the predator without reservations or fear.

Judy felt as though she was right as Nick both named this possum and walked towards him. Her suspicions were on the rise.

As Nick approached, the possum lifted himself up to meet eye to eye. He took a step forward, huffing as he did so until he was less than a foot away.

As Judy got to take a closer look at the possum, she took notice of his appearance.

He wore a pair of baggy grey pants and a greenish yellow shirt. He had on a blue jean jacket that covered his tame collar slightly but still managed to hang loosely from him. His clothes were dingy, tattered and carried patches of stains every now and then.

While she didn't truly care about what anyone wore in public, she felt herself take a step backward when she glanced over his facial features.

Much of the possum's face was covered in scars and terrible dark singed patches. Aside from his left eye, she could see that much of his skin was inflamed and somewhat peeling. To her, they looked much like burns that hadn't been properly treated.

"Woah bud, you need those looked at." Nick announced, bringing his paw up to the possum's face.

Before he could even assess the damages, the possum waved his hands away and breathed heavily. Nick stood there motionless, silently and patiently waiting for what he would do next.

The possum, staring Nick eye to eyes, frantically motioned his hands in several directions.

He started by clutching one of his paws and then pointed at Nick directly. He then pointed towards his eye and finally rolled thumb across his other digits. Having done this, he spread both his paws as if to desperately await an answer.

Nick stared at him for a moment, taking in all that he had just witnessed. After a second or two of thinking, he knew what was going on.

"No Salt, I haven't seen her," He said calmly, scratching the nape of his neck. "What's wrong?"

At his answer, the possum huffed. He closed his eye and breathed heavier and heavier. Soon the three heard a small beep and immediate grunt from where he stood, but he barely even flinched from the jolt.

Nick, surprised at his friend's change of mood and subsequent shock, reached out his paw in worry only to see the possum shake his head and run past them without so much as a wave goodbye.

After a moment of silence and watching the possum run away, Nick let his paw finally fall. He wanted to follow him but knew he couldn't for now.

"Who was that?" Judy asked, slightly horrified from the appearance and sudden leave of the predator.

Watching the possum trail off in the distance and finally leave the park, Nick turned and faced Judy.

"His name's Salt," He sighed, silently wishing he could run and get away. "He's one of the few veterans left here."

Hearing him say this, Judy took a step forward. Surely he couldn't possibly be saying what she thought he may be saying.

"You mean he's been in this district for a long time?" She asked curiously.

Nearly hanging his mouth on a hinge, Nick eyed her with irritation.

"No, he served in the war like a lot of other older mammals in the city." He pointed out, hoping that Judy could understand the problem

Hearing no sort of reply or protest, Nick tilted his head in the direction he saw Salt run off to.

"He's lucky to be alive, but he needs treatment still." He said with a heavy and sorrowful sigh.

Judy, upon hearing that his friend needed treatment, felt as though there was something obviously missing. There were hospitals and clinics all around Zootopia with medical staff to aid anyone.

This alone separated Nick from what he could have done, what he could legally do in this circumstance.

"You know you're not certified to treat patients anymore, right?" Judy replied, hoping to remind him of his stance with the law.

Having said what was needed, she waited to see if the fox would finally understand the damage he caused and how irreversible it was to what he had done to himself and others.

She watched Nick as his paw began to tremble and his collar beeped as it turned yellow.

"I know what I'm not licensed to do anymore under the Mammal Inclusion Initiative," Nick yelled, swiping his paw across the empty air and watching the rabbit step back in fear. "But that doesn't mean I won't help someone that needs it!"

The second he finished his rebuttal, he felt a very sharp and hot sting at his neck. It was a pain that he was familiar with but never used to. He fell to his knees, clutching at his neck as the pain intensified for his outburst.

Judy looked on as this happened, still fearful that Nick may do something out of line. She couldn't help but still be thankful that the collars were the only thing between her and the fox attacking her again.

The shock Nick had endured lasted only a few seconds, but the memories that he had associated it with had lasted far longer. It took him a minute or so to recover his strength enough to stand.

As he stood, he could see the belittling visage of the rabbit staring him back. Since he couldn't stand to face her eye to eye, for now, he turned to face the park's exit.

He clutched his paw and spoke. "You can't tell now, but he wasn't always mute."

Judy twitched her ears upon hearing this. She figured that he was mute from the speechless gesturing, but didn't know if her guess was correct or nor.

"He had to go war with his collar on like every other good little predator," Nick went on, shrugging his shoulders and lowering the tone of his voice. "Politics and all."

Had he not been shocked moments ago, he would have almost mockingly laughed. Though he himself didn't find anything laughable about it even in a joking manner, it may have helped calm his nerve a little more.

"He was sent to the jungle and suffered burns, shocks, and everything else to keep our 'fair' city safe." He went on, turning to face Judy with his paw held up and counting each of the possums endured feats.

With his concerns finally set on the table, he managed to find the strength to face her without breaking away his stare.

Judy, taking all of this into consideration, had a lot on her mind. Though one thing stood out above all.

She didn't even hesitate to ask. "I can understand the burns, but who's to say that the story isn't something you made up?"

It all seemed too easy of a coverup story to her. She had heard them all before, some convoluted tale to get out of ones punishments or to convince her that they were innocent.

Though Nick was proving even slightly useful, the fact of the matter was that he had lied to her before to cover up his entire operation. She still couldn't take his word for it unless there was another to back it up.

In disbelief that the question was even asked, Nick shook his head and turned away. He walked towards the park exit, huffing as he went along.

"When the clinic was still open, he and his niece would come by," He replied, feeling his voice raise itself. "She told me the story."

When Judy heard of Salts 'niece' she had wondered if that was who he was searching for frantically when Nick said he hadn't seen someone. She took it into account upon further encounters with the predator incase she needed someone to question that Nick knew.

"I wouldn't turn down anyone that needed medical attention," Nick added, feeling annoyed and utterly like the rabbit would never understand why he did what he did. "The least I could try to do is help."

As they neared the parks exit, Nick looked around. He was familiar with the area, but didn't usually come this way. Though it took him a moment to understand exactly where he was, he finally pointed down a nearby street.

"It's just a bit farther ahead." He called out.

As Judy prepared herself to follow Nick out of the park, she once again found herself questioning who Jack had set in place to watch them.

Though this time when she thought back to who it may be, she could feel a cold shiver run down her spine. It felt like someone was watching her, but she had no clue as to who.

For a moment she took a chance to turn away from Nick and look around. Not a mammal was there near them, nor were any in clear view in the park any longer.

Soon enough, she shook off the feeling. To her thought ,she believed it to be nothing other than her hunger and caution of the fox.

* * *

"Holding back my own tears I answered. 'To a world that abandoned compassion.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! Chapter 3 is here and I'm chipping away at it bit by bit slowly...

As a bit of a note, some possums are considered predators by nature (some are omnivores and do prefer meat, at least a certian species.)

And a question for all the readers out there. What would you all think of a music suggestion for future (and maybe current and previous) chapters of this story? I know I won't be able to post the full link (except maybe on Archive of our Own in notes) but it would allow for a good atmosphere. Please let me know what you think.

Also, a new Nick and Finnick will be out sometime this weekend!

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	14. Encroaching Obscurity

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows,fav's and reviews (Honestly, it helps me think)! This arc and the next arc have me incredibly excited to write them (No spoilers though). Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Three: Pitch Black

'Encroaching Obscurity'

* * *

"As you held out your hand in the dark, I asked. 'Where are you taking me?"

* * *

[February 4, 'Nocturnal District' 6:43 PM]

No matter how far they had walked throughout the series of neighborhoods, Judy couldn't stop gazing in awe at the scenery.

While the layout of the streets, the fauna, and pathways themselves hadn't changed, she did take note of a small handful of cars there.

There had been no more than a dozen randomly placed about in the housing area, and though she thought of it as odd, she could see why Nick had told her cars were rare down here.

Even with well-lit paths and traffic signs at every corner, the district felt different from the world above. It felt like the kind of place one would go to for a vacation or to visit friends and family.

She could see a few mammals walking about, some groggy and others cheerful. None looked too busy or in a rush to be anywhere.

They had many differing species as she could see a hyena yawning and strolling lazily about just down the road while a goat pranced about delivering packs of newspaper to certain residences.

There were several young mammals, both prey and predator, racing down the street, hauling backpacks and other such things with them. She could easily identify many of them as nocturnal, but easier so as children nearly late for school.

She looked on with curiosity as to what kind of school the district had and how it differed from the schools she had seen downtown.

She didn't even know if it looked the same as those, but she continued to look around to find it if at all possible.

In her search, they had passed by dozens of apparent complexes, townhouses, and small fenced shacks; each of which had different architecture, yet still made the whole scene quite interesting.

She had seen an apartment building that looked to be completely made of carved stones, even its door and windows looked to be cut from the same block. Whether or not it was more welcoming inside, she couldn't tell.

Next to it was a small townhouse, made solely of wood and painted blue. While it did seem quaint and pleasant, it stood out as it was sandwiched between the stone-faced building and a much larger brick house.

She didn't know how this colash of buildings came to be, but they all seemed to somehow manage to complement their surroundings in ways she didn't think possible. It made the area feel a lot more friendly than even her neighborhood did.

While she didn't mind sight seeing and in new information with each step behind Nick, she couldn't help but feel as though something was off.

Every now and again, she could had the feeling as though piercing eyes were watching her from somewhere.

She kept up with Nick's pace and made sure that the greater effort of her focus was placed upon him. As she did this while watched the streets come and go, she at times glanced over her shoulder to hopefully place her unease at rest.

Though she saw only a few other mammals going about their 'morning' routine, she did believe a few times that she had seen one in the distance following the same path they did.

'Who is that? Are they following us?' She wondered.

Around every corner they turned and down every street they walked, she repeated this, catching only the faintest of shadows and glimpses of a consistent mammal in the distance.

Noticing their presence and how far away they were from them and closing in, she mentally readied herself. They could be anybody, and with Nick around, she couldn't tell if this was one of his friends or not.

Knowing how far away they were, she thought of a plan of action in case things went wrong. She took note of how Nick never once deviated from his pace and only moved forward wordlessly to get them 'hopefully' to where this mysterious friend was.

She contemplated how things would go and began to worry as she did before. She would be going alone to a predators den.

'Why isn't Jack's teammate here?' Her thoughts screamed out to her.

Her paw slightly shook as they turned another corner, her thoughts rattled with every step and she could feel her breath become heavier.

She didn't blink or bother to look behind her as she knew that she was being followed. 'I still have my taser, my radio, and the cuffs.'

Listing off every available tool that she had, she carefully listened out for even the slightest of footsteps that may follow hers.

She could hear Nick ahead of her, her own footsteps and the faint rattle of the cuffs that she wore around her. The sounds of the surrounding area and distant echoes of mammals they had since passed by filled her ears.

Yet even from all of this, she could hear no steps behind her. She didn't know what had disturbed her more, the fact that there were no steps, or that there should be.

They were nearly down the street when she chanced a glance just behind her. The moment she did so, she felt a chill run down her spine.

A small mammal stood under a streetlight, facing towards them as they walked away. She couldn't tell at this distance what they were, but knew that something was amiss.

"Here we are." Nick's voice called out to her from just ahead, startling her slightly and causing her to halt immediately.

She had been deep in thought, so much so that she had already had her paw on her radio. Had Nick not said anything, she would have called the ZPD on suspicion at any moment.

As she thought about what to do with her set of dilemmas, she noticed how different the immediate area was in contrast to where they had just been.

They had crossed from one side of the road to the other. Whereas the street they left had fully developed masses of buildings, this side had one peculiar standing structure.

Ahead of her stood a less welcoming sight of a house built directly into an alcove on the cave walls. While she could see the structure made mostly of wood and brick like some of the others they had passed by, it was secluded from the rest and separated by a small tightly woven wooden fence.

Though the fence did little to stop anyone from jumping over it, she could see a faint glow emanating from just beyond.

The sight of the house was just as eerie and ominous as the light that shone upon it. Judy's eyes widened with a mix of both mystery and disgust. Compared to the other housing structures, it was definitely one that she couldn't see that anyone would want to live in.

From what she could see, there were no actual light structures on either the porch or anywhere in the yard at all. The windows had a black sheen on them as if they had been completely tinted or perhaps even boarded up from within.

The painting of the house was indistinguishable from the stone that it was cut out from, making it appear as though it was part of the cave itself.

Before Judy could even question why there was a glow or say anything about the sketchy house itself, Nick pulled the gate open.

It creaked and feebly rocked as it swung, barely hanging on to its hinges while it did so.

The moment the gate was open, Nick walked through and Judy was welcomed with a soft blue light much like she had seen from the trees in the park.

Curious to see what the light was, Judy walked forward, following in Nicks footsteps and onto the path of soft dirt and soil.

Once she was able to see what the glowing light was, she held her breath in awe at what lay just in front of her.

On the cave floor, embedded in the dirt and glowing softly were dozens of mushrooms. She turned to see them on either side of the path, mushrooms both large and small, blending into the grass and shedding light everywhere they grew.

The yard itself was aglow with them, so much so that she could see every inch of it even up to the house itself.

While she had no doubts that the mushrooms shouldn't be considered as food, their sheer calming luminesce was a beauty to behold.

Ahead of her, Nick stood at the door to the house. He swished his tail and waved her forward.

"What is this place?" She asked, walking toward him and casting small glances at the fungi every few steps.

Nick smirked at her question and shrugged his shoulders. "This would be a house."

Immediately, the look on Judy's face changed from one of inspired wonder to stalwart anger.

Feeling as though he would potentially regret his little joke, he laughed. "This is where Honey lives."

Now just a few feet away from Nick, Judy paused for a moment. She mulled over the thought of what he had just said, then the realization hit her as to why they came here first.

"What, is she your girlfriend?" She asked, nervous as she could soon be in the presence of yet another fox.

To her thought, she hadn't heard any mention of Nick's life beyond what he had said and from what Jack had read from his dossier. Though she could understand why he never mentioned her as it could cause further incrimination.

Nick, however, cringed at the thought.

"What, no! That's her nickname." He protested.

Doing so not only made him nearly gag a little, but he watched as Judy questioningly glared at him.

"No, she's," He began, tilting his head towards the door and scratching his ear to find the words. "Well, she's technically my godmother."

As he said this, Judy stared at him with fury. Her eyes refused to leave him as she felt her foot tapping quickly on its own.

"And you were going to withhold information about this pred for how long?" She accused.

She didn't know if this was better or worse for her, but once again he had kept something from the ZPD. Once again he couldn't be trusted to do something as simple as reveal what they needed.

The moment she asked this, Nick let his paw drop to the side. He saw Judy's stone-faced stare and met it with astonishing bewilderment.

His mouth agape, he tried to ask. "What is it you have against-"

He had to stop himself from even finishing the sentence as he felt his blood boil. He knew if he kept this up, he'd only end up losing the argument and eventually his own sanity.

Instead, he placed both paws on his temples, shut his eyes, and breathed deeply. He had to keep himself calm somehow, and the rabbit was trying his patience to no end.

"I didn't withhold anything," He said calmly, opening his eyes and facing the door. "It's just that it's... it's difficult to understand her."

Seeing the fox act strangely and talk about this predator that was family to him, Judy wondered why it was hard to understand someone. She understood criminal minds effectively, so how could this be any different?

"So, how is she difficult?" Judy replied, feeling her foot slowly come to rest.

While she was still nervous about meeting the pred, she was confident that if the fox was old enough to be Nick's godmother, then she shouldn't pose much of a threat.

Nick sighed, never taking his eyes off the door. "I... can't really explain her that well without you getting to know her alright?"

Saying all that he could, and not hearing any form of protest, he reached for the door handle.

"Wait!" He shouted, ripping his paw from the door and turning to Judy in a mix of fear and urgency.

At his sudden change in behavior, Judy took a step back. She placed her hand up and glared at him with a fire in her eyes.

'What's he planning?' She wondered, once again thinking back to the mammal that she knew trailed them.

To this end, she glanced between him and the edge of the street. Though she saw nobody there, she knew that it was only a matter of time before they showed themselves again.

From Judy taking a stance again, Nick understood that she was still tense and was not going to like what he had to say.

"Almost forgot." He admitted, pointing towards Judy's belt.

She took a moment to intensely focus on him. She didn't know why he was pointing at her, but could only hope he wouldn't try anything drastic.

"When we get inside, by no circumstance can you pull that gun out on her." Nick added, his tone seemingly desperate and pleading.

Judy raised a brow at his statement. While she was informed that she couldn't use her taser on him, surely he didn't believe for a moment that he could boss her around on whom else to fire it at incase they attacked her.

With a belittling stare and clutching her paw, she asked. "And why would you think I'd follow you inside without it?"

Nick knew where she was going with this, he knew she would try to pull the trigger the moment she felt even the slightest bit afraid. This, however, didn't stop him from trying to reason with her.

"Thing is," He huffed, solemnly looking into her eyes. "She's a war hero, like Salt."

Judy could only stare back in amazement. Here he was again, potentially making up a story about a hero that he had no way of backing up. In fact, this 'Honey' may not even exist, or may not be his godmother. She'd have to see it to believe it.

"And?" She replied, crossing her arms and tapping her foot voluntarily as if to demand an answer.

Nick couldn't believe her response. Or maybe, somewhere in his thoughts, he could.

"And?" Nick repeated, watching the rabbit give him a demeaning stare.

Frustrated to no end, he felt himself breathe heavy. He heard the telltale beeping of his collar and he huffed.

He brought a paw to the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

Sighing, he answered. "And, she has severe PTSD."

Judy's heart felt like it skipped a beat for a moment. Whether or not Nick was lying about the predator before was moved out of her mind for now.

Her eyes, in sheer horror, jolted straight to the door. She had seen PTSD in prey mammals before, and in some preds as well. Though now, she was standing at the threshold of a far more dangerous situation than she had first expected.

Even beyond this, a looming fear gripped her. The fear that she may have to go in alone.

* * *

"Looking down every path, I whispered 'To the land where heroes were forgotten.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! Good news is that this is about the halfway point (maybe) of Volume 1! And yes you read that correctly.

I will soon try to add music suggestions for the story, but please know that it won't be easy (aside from maybe Archive of our Own in the notes).

I'm still scheduling Nick and Finnick for weekend updates (either every weekend, or every other weekend).

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	15. Abyssal Expedition

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows,fav's and reviews (Honestly, it helps me think)! This arc and the next arc have me incredibly excited to write them (No spoilers though). Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Three: Pitch Black

'Abyssal Expedition'

* * *

"As you held out your hand in the dark, I asked. 'Where are you taking me?"

* * *

[February 4, 'Outside of Honey's house' 6:58 PM]

Judy stood there frozen in fear from what she had just heard. She couldn't tell if Nick was lying to her or not, but her blood ran cold from the mere mention of a PTSD predator that they would soon face.

She felt her breath become heavy and uneven, rattling at the cuffs around her and making her ear twitch slightly. There had been only a few times that she was without some form of backup during her time, and she felt as though this could potentially be the worst possible scenario.

Her eyes shifted to every feature of the fox, silently judging him and focusing on any slight movement that he may make. From the glowing fauna, she could see the apparent belittling smile that he had to offer her back.

To this end, Judy clutched her paw, trembling as she tried to find the words to say.

"Why didn't you say that earlier?" She seethed, narrowing her eyes in an attempt to intimidate the fox.

Nick only momentarily smiled, but could no longer find the strength to once he saw Judy's expression. Since he had given her warning, he thought things may turn out a little better, but he could easily tell that this wouldn't be the case.

He crossed his arms, gaining a noticeable flinch from Judy. He huffed at the fact that, despite his better effort to help, the rabbit never seemed to want to meet him eye to eye.

He turned to face the yard, not wanting to bother himself with her piercing eyes no matter how fierce her she tried to portray herself as. He had instead found it more calming to bask in the soft glow of the mushrooms as their faceless forms wouldn't accuse him of anything.

Having even a little solace from the heavy stresses he was feeling and the added pressure Judy had constantly given him, he felt some of his tension disappear. Only then did he tilt his head enough to see Judy in the corner of his eye.

"Would you have believed me?" He asked, his voice as calm as he could muster.

He didn't want to argue with the clock ticking, but he would defend his stance against the irritating rabbit nonetheless.

Immediately he noticed a sudden shift in her stance, he could hear her deep breaths die down to a simpler and even rhythm.

Judy, now finding herself gnawing at the statement she made earlier, could only huff in response.

It was true that she had no reason to believe Nick then, but now the situation may have changed against her.

If he was telling the truth, then she could very we'll be in serious peril, and if not, then she would only have gotten worked up for nothing.

Either way she looked at the conundrum, all odds were against her. She couldn't leave Nick to bring the predator out of their house, and she couldn't go back with empty paws on a serious investigation.

While she contemplated the possible events that could unfold, Nick carefully watched her. He could see her nose twitch involuntarily, and her right ear flickered as well.

Her eyes were dead set on him, rarely blinking as if anything would happen to her at any moment. He could tell that she was hesitant to even set foot in the house, but he needed to know where his friends were.

Turning to face the door once more, he let out a heavy sigh. "She's easily triggered by things that can shock her or put her to sleep."

Still thinking of any possible way to make their hopefully brief visit a little safer, the mention of 'Honey's' triggers stood out as a bit odd to her.

She snapped out of her momentary daze and questioningly looked at Nick. His statement was far too out of place to possibly be true.

"But if she has her collar on," She surmised, knowing full well Nick's background in removing tame collars. "How is she not triggered all the time?"

Nick only blinked in response when he heard Judy's question. He thought of it as a reasonable enough concern to be aware of, but still not something he'd want to deal with at a moments notice.

Scratching the nape of his neck, he answered. "She told me that, in the war, learned to control herself under pressure to prevent her from a lot of shocks, but that doesn't mean that she's always able to stop."

He took a momentary pause to let the information hopefully sink in. Watching the rabbit twitch nervously, he believed he was making his point know.

Soon enough, he turned to face the house, placing his paw on the doorknob. "Last time she saw a taser or tranq gun, she went berserk."

As he began to turn the doorknob, he heard Judy's cuffs jingle around her. Though he didn't look over to her this time, he could sense that she was nervous.

"So for the both of our sakes, don't pull that weapon out on her," That being said, he swung the door open and boldly walked inside. "Meet me in the kitchen."

After taking a few steps in, he promptly stopped. He would have left Judy to her thoughts until she decided to follow him, but there was more than her hesitant nature that bothered him now.

"And close the door when you finally decide to come in," He called out to her, pointing towards the fence-line. "That guy standing over there is a bit creepy."

Judy heard Nick walk off into the house. She knew he couldn't be left alone, but she herself didn't really want to go into the den of another fox.

She took her paw and rubbed at her temples as she had long since reduced herself to having to get this part of the job done even with her reservations. She was hesitant to proceed without backup, but couldn't just leave when Jack was counting on her.

Frustrated to no end, she began to walk through the door when she had just remembered what Nick had said. In response to his words, she halted her steps and looked behind her.

When she did so, she felt a shiver run down from her ears to her tail. It wasn't bad enough that Nick had disappeared, but now a lone figure stood under a streetlight just across from her.

Immediately believing it to be the mammal that she had sensed following her, she narrowed her eyes to get a better look at what they were. They stared back at her, unmoving, and watching her as intently as she did them.

Her jaw went slack as she identified the mammal quickly. Its small frame and large ears were easy to help her notice who and what it was.

'A koala?' She whispered.

She remembered seeing a Koala in the park earlier that had given her the same dead stare as this one was now. Only, this time, she felt the urge to run like never before.

While watching the mysterious mammal, she had unknowingly placed held her paw just in front of her taser. Her nose twitched in anxiety as she tried to study them.

It was unusual, to say the least, that she had anyone to follow her for so long without attempting to make a move. What was more odd, however, was the fact that this mammal stood out in the open as if to challenge her perception of avoiding suspicion.

'Why are they following me?' She asked herself.

She couldn't take chances with an ongoing investigation and her parolee now out of sight. She would have to walk over and confront whomever they were, curious or not nobody should be following her around.

Before she took the first step away, the word 'following' repeated in her thoughts over and over again. After a few times of the repetition, a notion occurred to her.

'They're following me!' She said to herself.

Judy stood there in awe that she hadn't realized this before. When Jack said that someone would 'watch' her, she had no idea that they would be simply following her.

Keenly eyeing them a little longer, she felt more at ease than she had in a was still disquieted from the way they looked but knew that if they were with Jack's team, then there was nothing for her to fear.

'That has to be them, right?' She questioned.

After a moment of her thinking things through, she sighed in relief and relaxed her stance. Since they were watching her, they would also act as her backup in case things went horribly wrong.

Quietly, she pivoted herself and faced the open door. It was dark in the house, only the faintest sliver of illumination from the mushrooms had managed to enter past the threshold to let her see.

Though she was still hesitant to proceed, the added assurance behind her helped her push forward. She soon reached for her flashlight, clicking it on as she made her way in.

Still, one thing bothered her about this. Nick had requested that she close the door, but she needed the help that her newfound ally could offer her.

A sly grin crept across her cheeks as she entered and closed the door lightly enough for it to creak, but not shut all the way. Even if Nick and 'Honey' were to hear it and believe it was closed, they would never expect that she would secretly be able to have backup in a matter of seconds.

Now inside the house and feeling better about her safety and the progress of their venture, she hovered her light over the interior to get a good glimpse of her surroundings.

She had entered into what she could assume was the first level of the house. While she had been in a lot of pred houses, this was one she hadn't expected to be so well kept.

The floors were made of hard wood and, though slightly worn, she could tell by the sheen on them and the way her feet slid slightly that they had been polished recently.

The walls had fine coatings of paint and had of flowers painted on them every few feet away.

While bare in most parts of the room aside from a few chairs, she could easily see a mirror set on a shelf with tiny figurines running across its borders.

Though she had hoped to find something of a light fixture, she only saw a few lamps set against the sides of the room. Not that it bothered her much as she had her flashlight, but as she neared one of them, she could see that it was missing a lightbulb.

She shook her head as she walked further into the house,turning left and right to see where she was going.

Her light shone on a wooden table set beside a wall. It was set with several candles and pictures that, from the grainy texture and brownish grey paper, appeared to be from a far forgotten era.

In some of them, it was hard to tell who was in the frame, but others were a massive collection of faces. One of them had what seemed to be a line of mammals lined up, each facing the camera and sporting camouflaged garments.

She could see nearly every kind of mammal in the city in this picture, including several foxes. Believing one of them to be 'Honey' she glanced at yet another picture on the table.

There, just a few frames away in a more recent picture, she could see a far less crowded image bearing fewer faces this time. It had several foxes, any of which could be her, but also noticeably in the picture was what appeared to be a badger standing to one side of them and what appeared to be a rabbit on the other.

Shaking her head as she didn't care to question what fool of a rabbit would be doing around a lot of preds, she continued her search of the room. Glancing around she could see the stairs that lead to the upper part of the house, but promptly remembered that Nick said he would be in the kitchen.

She looked around to see a few entryways that lead to different rooms. Out of one of them, she could hear shuffling and shifting as someone was there.

Judy carefully tiptoed across the floor, only causing the faintest of sounds from both her steps and the cuffs as she neared the room that she had slightly hoped Nick would still be in.

She rounded the corner and flashed her light inside to see the fox with his arms crossed and standing next to a very old and outdated phone. She had hoped to see more than him but was still leery of the mysterious predator at large.

Assuming that this was the kitchen, she looked around. It too was furnished simply and not cluttered like most pred places. The cabinets appeared to be waxed, the tables and counters were spotless, even the sink was completely cleaned and void of dishes.

Pots, pans, and other cooking tools were neatly arranged on shelves and a small furnished dining set was placed in the middle of the room.

The only thing strange in the room aside from the missing pred, was a faint scent of medicine. It smelled of herbal remedies and other with a sweet yet bitter hint to it.

After a moment of not seeing more than one fox, Judy began to question if his story was even real. A small thought caused her to start panicking as this could be an ambush waiting to happen.

"Alright, where is she?" She huffed, shining her light directly at Nick.

He stood there in the spotlight, blinking a few times and holding his paw up to prevent damage to his eyes.

"In her bunker," He admitted, reaching for the phone and spinning its outdated dial. "She lives a very... solitary life."

Judy immediately recognized his actions as a potential threat. Despite the phones age, he could be calling his allies to help any moment. Thankfully she had backup just outside and had a good feel of her surroundings, and a quick way out.

"Honey's never been very trusting of a lot of people." Nick continued, spinning the dial until a clicking sound echoed throughout the room.

The sound startled Judy, causing her to flash her light and ready herself for whomever appeared. Only, what she did shine her light on was a cabinet opening under the sink.

Nick watched the rabbit rattling with a smile. He walked towards the sink and held out his paw.

"Right this way." He chuckled.

Judy, now seeing that the phone was only a way to get this door open, had an immediate sense of déjà vu. It had reminded her a bit too much of how Nick's clinic held a dire secret below it.

"Did you learn to hide your theme park from 'Honey'?" She asked, carefully walking over and inspecting the sink.

Just below it was a hole that lead straight down from what she could tell. Had this not been a pred home, she would have felt it almost reminiscent of the houses back at the Burroughs.

"Partially," Nick responded, crouching and crawling into the space. " The rest I got the rest from a medical book about confidentiality."

He turned himself around to reach a ladder rung and face Judy. "I'll go first."

With that, Judy could see him slowly descend into the darkness below.

This situation bothered her a little more than when they came into the district. Before, she had more space and could easily detain Nick if needed. Now, the space was limited and her ability to detain him was less than effective and becoming smaller by the moment.

Judy had to question why anyone would have a bunker built this way instead of a basement level for their house. War hero or not, it was a bit suspicious the way things were turning about here.

She took a deep breath, took hold of her flashlight with her teeth, and crawled in after him. With her not being as tall as Nick, she found the space to be a little roomier than she had first thought.

Taking hold of the first rung of the ladder, she tilted her head down to see Nick staring up at her, smiling as he climbed down with ease. She didn't like him being below her in this situation but still made sure that he was a few feet away incase he tried to drag her down.

This climb down, like the one she had before, was dark and eerie. Thought the terrain was a little different as it was mostly dirt instead of industrial concrete, it didn't help her feel much at home.

The further down she went, she could smell the medicinal smell get stronger and stronger. She couldn't tell what it was from exactly, but it smelled of fresh sugar and mint.

The constant clack of their paws against the ladder was both rhythmic and unsettling. To Judy, it only threw off her hearing slightly event thought she never took her eyes off of Nick.

Soon enough, she watched as he had reached the bottom of the ladder. He took his paws away and stepped to the side, patiently waiting for Judy to find her way down.

As she neared the ladders landing, she was able to see a small space just a few feet away from Nick that she could easily reach. Again, instead of simply climbing down to the last rung, she hopped off in caution that he would attempt to corner her.

The added weight of the cuffs did make it a little tougher on her, but she managed to land on her feet. With the flashlight still in her jaws, she took hold of it in her paws and spun around to shine it at the grinning and slightly amazed fox.

"Again with the acrobatics." Nick snickered, shielding his eyes with his paw and turning away from the ladder.

Judy watched him with a slight annoyance. Yes, she did jump off the ladder again, but she had every reason not to trust the fox.

He had soon after begun to walk towards the area opposite of them, dragging his tail and guiding his paw along the wall. He had soon reached a wooden set of doors that didn't seem to fit down here at all.

As Judy watched this, she noticed that the wall itself didn't fit down here as well. It looked freshly dug and slightly etched and smoothed over in some areas. It looked to be another small building of sorts just beyond the wall, it must have been where 'Honey' was staying.

She walked a little closer, seeing Nick fidget with the door and begin to push on it. Despite it being wood, it sounded of heavy metal as it screeched open.

Judy's nose twitched when she saw the door swing inward, revealing a darkened space that even she couldn't fathom why anyone would want to venture into.

"Who would build a hiding place like this?" She asked, feeling a cold rush of air blow past her.

She didn't know whether it was from how cool it felt down here, or because her fears of having two foxes in close proximity to her could be soon realized.

"Only our Honey," Nick answered, looking back at the rabbit with a smirk as he walked inside. "She's technically off grid since the zoning code here doesn't cover her."

Once he got inside, he placed his paws to the sides of his muzzle.

"Honey!" He called out, hoping to have her respond.

His statement from before hit Judy as a bit of a surprise, but after looking at the condition of the house and how it was just across the street from everything else, it seemed to be only slightly logical.

Still, there were parts to what Nick said that had bothered her. Namely the presence of light fixtures and a sink but the sheer absence of any light in the house. It made no sense whatsoever.

"Then how does she get water and electricity?" She retorted.

Nick, having just passed the threshold to the dark room, stopped in his tracks. He perked up his ears and darted his head around as the sound of a motor suddenly came on.

"She dug into a water system," He began, searching the dark for any sign of Honey as his night vision allowed him better sight. "And managed to persuade us to get a car down here to power the house."

Judy watched Nick carefully search around. While she didn't want to set foot in the room, the buzzing sound drew ever closer to her. She knew she couldn't delay long so she followed him inside.

As she entered and flashed her light on the interior of the room, she could see a plethora of items. The bunker itself was full of shelves stocked and stocked to the brim from wall to wall with boxes and bags of all kinds.

Though she tried to see more and more from faint glimmers of her light flashing off of strange materials, the absence of a stronger light source really bothered her.

"Does she just live in the dark all the time?" She questioned, failing to see how anyone, even a nocturnal predator could stand to live this way.

The buzzing sound echoed and reverberated all across the room from shelf to shelf. Judy could hear it at a higher pitch than Nick could, but the sound itself was a little eerie.

"No, she usually has some kind of light on by now," Nick answered, frantically searching for the elusive mammal. "Let me get the switch."

With that, Judy watched as Nick made his way towards what she could assume was the back wall of the bunker. As it was a larger structure than what she could have imagined, the space was a lot further than she expected.

While waiting for Nick to reach the switch, a thought occurred to her.

"Is she even here?" She asked, flashing her light on everything that she possibly could without even hair or tail of 'Honey' in sight.

Even as she asked this, she could hear more buzzing. Only this time it sounded closer with heavy footsteps that were neither hers or Nick's to begin with.

"Honey, I can hear you, I know you're there!" Nick called again, ignoring Judy's question and continuing towards the light switch.

He knew full well that, even though Honey was always there, she wasn't ever exactly easy to get to.

With Nick drawing ever closer to the back of the room, Judy had a sudden sense of unease. Despite her being able to have backup which she hoped had at least been in the house by now, the sudden sounds of footsteps seemingly in all directions, as well as the now irritating buzzing caused her to nervously flash her light more frantically.

She had lost all focus on Nick as the sound seemed to draw near to her. In a matter of seconds, she could hear rattling of some kind before the sound idled.

Taking this as a potential attack against her, she readied herself and flashed her light towards where the sound had last stopped. Only, when she looked there, she saw nothing but boxes.

"Here we are." Nick called out from the far side of the room.

He had just reached the light switch which had been almost identical to the power switch at his theme park. Being reminded of this, he smiled to himself and promptly flicked it on.

As the lights came on allowing them to see better, Judy instantly blinked a little. She had grown accustomed to the dark for a little too long and now was trying to readjust.

While she did so and shielded her eyes from the large lights set across the ceiling, a strange blur made its way through her vision.

"BADGERS!" The figure screamed out at the top of their lungs.

Judy, now gasping in horror, saw the image of a large mammal coming straight towards her from mid-air. She could hear the buzzing noise along side of it, and knew it wasn't good.

She instinctively dove forward, feeling a rush of air pass through her ears and graze her hair. Having passed whatever attack may have come her way, she rolled as she hit the ground.

Her every thought told her that she was in danger and she took only a split second to reach for her taser. Whoever this was that attacked her wouldn't ever get a second chance.

Nick, having been satisfied with finding the switch and thinking of the past, perked his ears up when he heard the commotion. His head turned to see both the rabbit and his friend standing opposite one another.

Smiling that he had finally found her, he called to her again. "Honey!"

His smile as bright as ever, quickly replaced itself with a worried scowl as he traced his eyes from one mammal to another. He saw Judy crouching down and aiming towards Honey with her taser.

"Freeze!" Judy shouted.

While she had prepared herself from the beginning to have the fox attack her, what she had seen standing in front of her wasn't what she was prepared for at all.

Just ahead of her stood a mammal slightly taller and much bulkier than the average fox. If she had to compare the size of the two it would be akin to the difference of a wooden picket fence and a solid concrete wall.

Its fur was a mix of deep bluish black with a streak of white running down from its head. She wasn't able to see their face as their back was turned to her, but could tell from the ears that they weren't a fox at all.

From the size and shape, she could identify this mammal as a badger. Even though it didn't completely solve her issue, the fact that it wasn't a fox in front of her eased a thought screaming at her from before.

They wore the same camouflaged clothes that she had seen in the pictures above, mostly green with faux leaf patterns painted across them.

Noticeably also, whoever they were carried a large and menacing metal object that easily looked to be carried by something far greater than their size. She couldn't tell what it was but it made the buzzing sound had irritated her earlier.

"Judy!" Nick shouted.

He felt his heart race and heard his collar beep as he sprinted towards the rabbit and Honey. He couldn't understand why it was so hard for Judy to simply listen as both of their lives could very well be in grave danger.

While he ran, he felt a small shock nip at his neck causing him to lose balance slightly. He shook it off and caught himself before he fell, he couldn't risk having the rabbit die from her mistakes.

As Nick made his way in front of Judy, he watched Honey slowly turn her head towards them. He could hear the beeping of her collar, but he managed to stand in between them just as the badger fully locked eyes with him.

With him now here, he turned to Judy who had her weapon still fixed on Honey despite his warning earlier, but something about her looked different from before. After glancing over her features, he could see that the small tuft of white hair that had set between her ears was now in shreds across the floor.

He shook his head as he didn't have time to mock her about her haircut, he would have to get the situation under control before the inevitable happened.

"Carrots, put away the gun before she sees it!" He whispered, frantically gazing into Judy's eyes.

Judy, however, never flinched. If she heard right, then this was Honey, and that attack of theirs was a serious offense.

"Out of the way." Judy commanded.

Nick, understanding that the rabbit was in danger, carefully turned his head towards Honey. She stood there in front of them both, now staring menacingly towards the two as if ready to attack at any moment.

"H-hey Honey," Nick chattered nervously. "How are ya?"

He had tried to stall for enough time to convince Judy that this was a misunderstanding, that all of this was a mistake. In a matter of seconds, they could both be dead if he didn't do something.

"Put it down, put it down, put it down." He reiterated, his voice becoming a panicked whisper to Judy without ever taking his eyes off the badger.

In the instant he said this, he watched in horror as Honey dropped the large object she was holding and stared directly at them. Nick knew what this meant from her, he had seen it before.

Without a second thought, Nick turned and grabbed hold of Judy's weapon, catching the rabbit off guard. She thankfully never got the chance to fire as Nick pulled it closer to him, dragging her with it and wrestling it out of her paws.

In doing this, he heard not only the jingle of metal and frustrated shriek of the upset rabbit, but also the guttural growl of the one he had managed to take his eyes off of for even a second.

Fearful of what was about to happen, Nick instantly used his hands to shield himself even a little from the damage that would be.

As the growl grew closer and with more volume, Nick could hear the rabbit shuffle across the floor away from him. Judy herself knew better than to stay stationary in the midst of an attack.

Realizing that this could be it, Nick braced himself as he felt the badger make contact with him. He wrenched his eyes shut as felt the much larger predator grip hold of him and hoist him into the air as though he weighed nothing at all.

He cringed when the badger growled louder and louder, hearing the pop and frizz of its collar as it stared him down.

"Honey it's me, Nick," He shouted in terror, pinning his ears to his head. "Little Nick."

He yelped and writhed in Honey's grip, feeling the sting of her shocks reach him. He couldn't tell how long he had stayed in the air or how many times he felt the shock, but soon he heard the growls and zaps cease altogether.

Feeling the pain still and wondering what was happening, Nick slowly opened his eyes to the sight of a rather concerned looking badger just at eye level.

While he blinked slowly, he could swear that he saw small beads of tears taking form in the corner of the badger's eyes.

"Nick?" A voice called out, far sweeter and tranquil than what he had heard moments ago.

He perked his ears up when he heard Honey calling his name. He could tell that, despite her fierce look and panic, that this was the Honey that he knew he would find here.

"Little Nick!" Honey shouted, her muzzle quivering as she brought the fox in closer to her for a breathtaking hug.

Though only Nick was out of breath as Honey gripped him tighter, Judy was taking deep breaths herself from not having her weapon by her side. The added protection and security that came with it helped put her mind at ease for so long.

She had hidden behind a crate as she now had a PTSD badger and an armed felon of a fox just a few feet away. She had silently hoped that her help would soon come bursting through the door, her situation had taken a turn for her worst.

* * *

"Gazing out into what had called shadows I whispered. 'To where the last glimmer of hope stands.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! And so we have Honey.

Sorry it took me longer on this chapter and it's a bit longer than I wanted, but didn't want to skip out on the crazy badger.

I'm still scheduling Nick and Finnick for weekend updates (either every weekend, or every other weekend).

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

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dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	16. Faint Echoes

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. A huge thank you to all the readers, follows,fav's and reviews (Honestly, it helps me think)! This arc and the next arc have me incredibly excited to write them (No spoilers though). Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Three: Pitch Black

'Faint Echoes'

* * *

"As you held out your hand in the dark, I asked. 'Where are you taking me?"

* * *

[February 4, 'The bunker of Honey's house' 7:19 PM]

It had been only a brief moment as Judy quietly watched the badger embrace fox in a very tight hug. Of the two, only the badger could be said to have any feeling left in her spine.

"Little Nick," She announced with glee, still crushing him in her mighty grip. "How are ya?"

While he didn't have the heart or even breath to her to stop, he managed to sputter out only one word. "Ribs."

It took a few seconds for the words to ring through Honey's ears and cause her to even slightly loosen her death-grip from around Nick. Still not fully letting go, she held him at arms length and smiled at him.

As she did so, her smile devolved into a look of worry and concern.

"They hot-wired you?" She asked, staring intently at the red collar fitted around the fox's neck.

Feeling the badger loose him a little more, Nick took the opportunity to squirm and writhe just enough to free himself. He managed to break free from Honey, only to fall to the floor and gasp for breath.

"Yeah, for now," Nick wheezed, steadily feeling his spine a little more than before. "But I'll hopefully have it off soon."

While he took a moment to stand and regain his bearings, he noticed that the fur on his cheek had become matted. Curious, he rubbed his paw against it and recognized a familiar sweet smell.

He sighed and locked eyes with the worrying badger. "Have you been bathing in honey again?"

The look of concern on Honey's muzzle had instantly vanished. She boldly crossed her arms and cheerfully yet comically smiled.

"Twice a week," She admitted, tapping her paw to the tip of her muzzle. "Keeps the sheep's noses off me."

Eyeing her quizzically as if she had lost the last semblance of her mind, Nick shook his head. Though he knew she wouldn't stop as it was now her routine, he had hoped that, for once, she would have at least rinsed off with water.

Before he could even think to ask her about anything relatable, she shuffled next to him and wrapped her honey coated arm around his shoulders.

"How'd you get out of your cage?" She questioned, again squeezing the poor fox to near oblivion.

To this end, Nick couldn't respond. While he had silently wanted to, the added weight around his neck and stifling scent of Honey's hygienic habits had been a little too much for him to formulate a coherent answer.

Gasping at her own question and perking up her ears, Honey removed her arm from around Nick and placed both paws to her muzzle in wonder."Did you learn to escape like your Pop?"

Nick, learning his lesson from the previous two inescapable grips, took a few steps away from the badger to recover. As rubbed his shoulder, he could see the gleaming and giddy mass of a badger wait in impatient anticipation. He shook his head at the sight, he didn't have the heart to keep her waiting too long.

"No, Honey." He replied, his voice carrying a mournful tone to it.

Honey, now narrowing her suspicions of Nick's sudden freedom, rubbed her chin with her paw. Though hundreds, if not thousands of ideas filled her head, she snapped her digits and smiled believing that she had the answer.

"You dug a tunnel, didn't you? Cause I was gonna break through the prison grounds next week."

While her rationality and response didn't exactly come as a surprise to Nick, he didn't want mention of any kind of escape plan to have left her mind due to the situation he was currently in. He also didn't want the badger to either be in trouble or try to 'shield' him from harms way with her massive form again.

"No Honey, I didn't dig a tunnel," Nick chuckled, backing away towards a nearby crate and motioning towards it with his paws. "It was her."

The moment Nick was within Judy's sight, she sneered in anger. Though she couldn't exactly run in secrecy, she wanted to remain hidden for a while longer or even not seen at all. Her instincts told her that with two predators present and one bearing her weapon, she was in the least possible place to defend herself.

She sat there silently berating herself over the fact that she had practically given the grinning fox her weapon. As she thought about what she could do now, she heard the heavy sound of feet shuffling towards them.

Knowing full well what was to come, Judy nervously and angrily looked up. Just hovering above her, wide-eyed and paws clasped to the edges of her muzzle, stood the badger.

From what Judy could see, she was clad in military style gear. Green patterned clothes with pockets running from head to toe. She sported a pair of ID-tags that dangled and jingled with her every breath.

The badger's fur glistened lightly, likely from what Nick had mentioned about bathing in Honey. There were the faint remnant of crumbs clinging to her shoulders and clothes.

She had seen badgers before, but by far Honey had to be the largest. She looked nearly like a house with pillars for legs, how she even managed to fit down the secret entrance to the bunker was complete mystery.

"A bunny!" Honey shouted, breaking Judy's focus and causing her to shuffle away.

Honey, even after seeing Judy try to get away, closed the gap between them. Though her tags jingled from her moving as quickly as the rabbit did, her sheer size made the sight as awkward as one would think.

"I haven't had a bunny over in forever!" The badger exclaimed with glee as she bounded over.

Now only inches away from her, Judy didn't know what the badger would try. Though in the background, she could hear the mocking sounds of laughter from the fox that had her only means of protection.

"The name's Madge Honey Badger, welcome to my underground home underground," Honey said, kneeling down and greeting the bunny with a warm smile and outstretched paw. "What's your name?"

Judy sat there, twitching her nose at the badger but never taking her eyes off for even a moment. Her mind raced with red flags and scenarios that bode ill for her.

'Was this some trick, was she lying,' She thought. 'Why would a predator, like this badger, ever have a rabbit over in the first place?'

Though she mulled over this, the picture that she had seen earlier spoke volumes to her. It in fact had a badger, likely Honey, in the same frame as some rabbit.

This realization helped put Judy's mind at a little ease, though she still mentally screamed that she was there without a weapon; and the fox who still held it continued to chuckle to her dismay.

"That would be," She heard Nick pause from his laughing fit to breathe for a moment. "Officer Grumpy Carrots."

Judy snapped when she heard this, she pointed her paw and yelled. "For the last time, It's LIEUTNA-"

In an instant, she felt her arm move up and down. Just at her reach, she saw the badger happily shaking her paw in her grasp.

"It's a pleasure to meet ya Officer Grumpy Carrots." Honey exclaimed, watching as the much smaller mammal stood up and reeled back.

Judy didn't know how to respond to the sudden gesture but decided it best not to be at arms reach of the predator at any given chance. To her reaction, she saw the badger wear a worried and hurt expression.

"What's wrong?" Honey asked, unsure as to what would cause the bunny to dart off after a friendly greeting.

Finding her footing and pressing her small frame against one of the many shelvings she could reach, Judy stared back at Honey with a twinge of both fear and anger. She brought a paw up to her forehead, remembering why she had immediately recoiled in the first place.

"You attacked me," Judy accused, pointing towards the empty space now between her ears. "And cut off my hair!"

Honey stared at Judy with curiosity. She could clearly see a very thin patch of white, but recalled her attack from earlier.

"Sorry about that," The badger apologized, shrugging her shoulders. "Haven't been the same since the war."

Judy, having reached as much of an understanding as she could, simply eyed the badger. While the apology was far less appropriate than what Judy felt it should have been, she couldn't help but notice Honey's pondering while doing so.

"I know," Honey clasped her paws together, turning away from her and dashing towards one of the various crates across the room. "How about a fancy new wig?"

Judy raised a brow at the sudden response. While Nick was telling the truth about her PTSD, it was slowly becoming apparent that Honey was a difficult pred to deal with.

She rubbed the space where her hair used to be and sighed. "I'll... pass."

She watched as the badger frantically continued her search despite the mention of not needing or wanting a wig to begin with. While Honey was busy with this and Nick watching, a pressing thought made its way to Judy's mind.

'I need to get my weapon back.'

With the fox distracted, Judy carefully padded her way towards him. He still held the weapon concealed just under his coat, but was still within reach of her. If she could just reach it, then she could-

"Carrots."

She froze as she heard Nick call her by his favorite nickname. Her nose twitched and ears flickered as he slowly turned to face her now that she was only a few feet away.

She watched as Nick revealed the weapon, causing her to shuffle her feat back and eye him nervously. With him holding the taser, he could easily overtake her if she didn't evade. No matter how strong she was physically, shocks of that caliber would mean the end of her mobility in seconds.

Nick, however, huffed and cautiously paced himself towards her. He could see the fear in her eyes once he stood mere inches away and held the taser out towards her. He took in a deep breath, closed his eyes and sighed.

"For both of our sakes," He said, holding the taser out with trigger end facing Judy. "Just keep it out of sight, okay?"

Judy was taken aback by his motions, never did she believe for a moment that Nick would so quickly give her the weapon back on his own volition. Her violet eyes never did get a chance to meet his as he quickly turned his head to glimpse over his shoulder.

She didn't hesitate to grab the weapon when it was offered to her as to not allow him to change his mind. She did, however, holster it after checking to see that it was intact, she didn't want another instance of the badger going berserk.

As Nick began to walk away, she silently stepped out behind him. Her every thought was to why Nick made this so easy when he was usually so difficult, yet there she was with weapon retrieved and in tact.

'Maybe Jack persuaded him?' She thought, finding it to be the only logical answer, or so she believed.

While mulling over this, she walked back into the open space of the bunker, taking into account how large the structure actually was. Compared to both her size and Nick, the space alone could fit a good part of her family in it.

After a few steps, she felt a cool breeze press down on her. She looked up to see a fan slowly rotating, giving her the sense that it was well ventilated for a bunker. Somewhere deep in the back of her mind, the ingenuity reminded her of how the burrows were furnished.

Inwardly, she smiled at this fact, but still kept an eye out for what may just endanger her. She cast her eyes back to the patrons of the bunker, Nick idly looking around and Honey rummaging through the crate.

She shook her head and scanned the room, setting her eyes on the heavy metal object that the badger had dropped moments into her attack. Curious as to what it was, Judy padded her way over to it.

Upon reaching it and inspecting it, she scratched her head as to what its function even was. It was a long orange metal beam with a scoop towards its top and a handle towards its end. It was fitted with several prongs and blades that made the entire thing look menacing. The sheer size of it, however, was more comical than what Judy could even attempt to guess as to what it was in the first place.

"What is that thing?" She mumbled, barely even whispering to herself.

As she did so, she heard shuffling just behind her, followed by a heavy thud. She turned her head to see Honey idly staring back her, sporting deep orange shades and wearing a rather fancy, albeit ridiculous looking and bright orange curly wig.

"This is my sheep shear, it was built by Honey, for Honey," Honey replied, bending down to pick the heavy object off the ground with ease. "One of a kind and patented by yours truly."

Judy was surprised that Honey had heard her, but even more so shocked at how light the weapon seemed to be in the badger's arms.

The badger took the weapon and set it carefully against one of the nearby shelves, ensuring to lean it in a way that it didn't accidentally fall.

Now that the lights were on, she could easily see the various things that Honey had stuffed onto the shelf spaces, and there were tons of strange and odd creations packed everywhere.

She could see jars of an orange-yellow liquid which she could easily see to be honey. There were dozens of jars like this on one shelf, making her realize how the potent medicinal smell managed to fill the room so easily.

Judy saw shelves lined with knitting tools, various gardening tools, paint canisters, fireworks and for whatever reason stacks of bubblegum.

Shaking her head at why those were ever needed with no serious garden in sight, Judy cast her glance on a more suitable feat. She let her eyes wander to several food stacks containing large bags of nonperishable foodstuffs, a large yellow container with a picture of a moth haphazardly taped to it, and crates lined together labeled M.R.E..

While she understood that Honey was of a military background, she had no idea how she even managed to get a hold of the food and potential weapons.

"I can see you're interested in my home made remedies and sheep fightin' gear." The badger happily surmised, pointing at several objects in the distance that she had seen Judy look towards.

Judy did only for a moment take note of the inventory, her curiosity and ever-growing gap of understanding towards the badger had her head full of questions. Though she was now cautious as Honey had potentially posed a threat to sheep if she was harboring weapons.

Taking a chance, Judy had to ask. "Why would you want to fight sheep?"

If there was one thing that the doe couldn't fathom, it would have to be why the badger would want to harm one of the most harmless species in the city. In her years of service, she had seen less of them in criminal activity than most other prey mammals.

"Because they're evil." Honey replied, her voice seething and her paws clenched.

Judy, taken aback by her statement, placed her paws on her hips and raised her brow at Honey. Surely she couldn't be serious.

As Judy began to open her mouth to further her inquiry, Nick placed a digit in front of his muzzle in a telltale 'hush' motion.

Trying to stop her, Nick whispered. 'Wait don't-'

"And why would you think they're evil?"

He placed his paw on his muzzle and scrunched his snout. Having the rabbit interrupt him, even he knew it was too late.

'Shouldn't have asked that Carrots.' He mumbled.

Once Judy asked her question, she instantly saw what could only be described as a gleam of pure joy and mischief in Honey's features. She smiled widely, and her collar beeped in response. The badger stood tall and even brushed away some of the crumbs off her shoulder.

"Well, have a seat and I'll tell ya." She pointed towards a covered crate just behind Judy and Nick as she darted off to one of the nearby shelves.

Noticing that Judy may have just awakened a part of Honey that they wouldn't have had time for, Nick pointed his paws towards the door. "Actually we-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Honey came storming back with a large board, a matching stand, and a marker. She had set it up at such blinding speed that neither of them even saw how she had assembled it in less than a second.

Having the two in front of her, she ignored any plea from Nick and only got a curious eye from Judy.

Clearing her throat, she began. "It was the Bellwethers that started this whole mess."

Upon stating this, she tapped the board. It was full of drawings, some intricate, some not. Mostly it was covered in pictures of sheep and cross lines with question marks here and there.

"About seventy years ago when Isaac Bellwether made the clause, he thought of a way to ensure the city was safe and made the first draft," She continued, pointing to a picture of a sheep at the top of a line and waving a digit from her free paw towards the two. "There still weren't any collars back then, but one of his lambs changed everything when there were. Lucian to be exact."

Honey then traced her paw from the larger sheep to a sheep with black wool in the lineage. He wore the same clothes as a sheep next to him, but he smiled in contrast to the near scowl of the other.

Judy herself tried to respond to this, she knew where the badger was going. She had heard so many conspiracies over the years that she wanted to stop this before it got out of control. She never even got a chance to get a word out.

"He was the mayor after his brother," Honey further explained, pointing to the white sheep that had various texts under his photo. "But Lucian was the most evil mammal ever."

Having heard this, it was her chance to stop the theorist in her tracks. "And why do you believe that?"

It wasn't the question Judy was trying to ask, nor was it the words that she had tried to form. Mentally and physically, she placed a paw on the bridge of her forehead.

Nick only snickered, he knew that Honey was hard to get around with her crazy beliefs.

Honey grinned and pointed towards a set of pictures towards the top of the board. It was a series of snapshots of tame collars, each with numbers and small frowning faces near them.

"Well, after Apex law and medical was established to make the tame collars for the city, Lucian was the one who redefined what a predator was and made em' mandatory," She added, placing a paw under her muzzle and now staring awkwardly towards the board intently. "Come to think of it, it was probably cause his brother got mauled before reelection."

With that, she took her marker and quickly scribbled something under the black sheep's picture.

Not even stopping to take a breath, she resumed her speech while continuing to write. "But that sheep made so many rules and changes to the collars that folks called it 'Lucian's Curse'."

As Honey continued to scribble, Judy eyed her awkwardly. She turned her head towards Nick carefully, only to see the fox shrug and mouth something akin to 'You asked her'.

Judy, trying to form the words that would get her out of the crazy badger's house quickly, replied. "That sounds-"

"Like conspiracy, I know. Those sheep are always plottin'. Too bad he was never charged for it and made to wear one himself." Honey added, finishing her note and turning to the two again.

Of them, only Nick was still even slightly amused. Judy, being the impatient rabbit she was, tapped her foot against the floor, waiting to see if this was over.

Honey sighed and looked towards her board gloomily. "But over the years, everything's changed so much that the city's forgotten it. They forgot about Lucian and his curse."

She placed a paw on her masterpiece of artwork and theories. Her eyes glided over to a corner with several clutters of pictures, all prey mammals with numbers ascending from one to another.

"Well, the city may have, but not me," Honey stated, pointing towards herself and proudly grinning. "You see, ol' Honey's got it all figured out this time."

Judy, as if she had heard this before, sighed and let her ears drop. "Here we go..."

"Every sheep, pig, and bovine after Isaac have had full terms." The badger stated matter-of-factly, pointing to the cluster of images and near shouting towards Judy.

Honey's collar started to beep again as she fumbled through the photos, looking for specific ones and circling them.

"Those who stay long are helping the sheep stay in power and control the city," She pointed out, circling her fourth or fifth picture. "They want to rule the world and turn the whole city into the Meadowlands!"

Shouting the last part, the room rang and soon echoed with a zap to follow it. Whether Honey's shock was minor or even ignored, Judy didn't know. She did, however, roll her eyes from the convoluted conjecture.

"That's... one long evil conspiracy and all, but you do know that Mayor Swinton's in power, right?" Came Judy's rebuttal as she rubbed what used to be her tuft of hair.

Turning back to see the rabbit, Honey crossed her arms and raised a brow.

"HA! That's what the sheep want you to think." She stated, tilting her head towards the posted pictures on the board.

She took one paw and pointed at a single photo in particular. In its frame was the familiar shape and face of the aforementioned mayor.

"You see, the sheep are the ones pulling the strings and makin' the pig's dance," Honey said, tapping the mayor's picture repeatedly. "And Belinda is the one wearing the ballet shoes now."

She inadvertently picked up the picture and placed it next to the sheep on the other side of the board.

"They're gonna shut down the government, and make it a dictatorship," She stated, drawing a frowning face next to the newly planted picture. "This way, the sheep stay in power forever even with a pig as their puppet."

Still trying to drive her point through, Honey paced in front of the board for a moment. She thought deeply about what she could say to the bunny who had a fierce look of disappointment in her lavender eyes.

"And here's the thing," Honey pondered, placing a paw under her muzzle. "They want to take every collar wearer and throw them in the ocean!"

Judy couldn't believe what she had heard. Not only was it illogical and harmful, but completely against every law ever written.

Honey saw the impatient rabbit and smirking fox quietly watching her. Taking the opportunity, she pointed towards the ceiling. "Why else do you think that building is on the hill Apex is ruin by sheep and pigs?"

Gaining a rather dumbfounded and disbelieving glare from Judy, Honey pointed in nearly every direction.

The badger shifted her eyes left and right. "They're gonna heat up Tundra Town, Flood the Rainforest, and wash us all away like ants. Tasty ants!"

From her sudden outburst and half-baked conspiracy, Judy felt as though she understood the badger less and less. She could only stare in wonder as the bulky pred walked over towards the yellow gated container a few feet away.

"That's what my moths told me when I sent them out there for recon," Honey declared, hovering over the cage and removing her wig. "Poor Geoffrey, Conner, Isabelle. They almost uncovered the sheep's plot this time."

Mouth agape at the badger's mention of moth whispering, Judy had finally been pushed to the edge. She couldn't take any more of the theorizing.

"Okay, I've heard enough." She announced, rubbing her temples and feeling the beginnings of a headache.

Nick looked on and smiled, he knew that the rabbit would eventually tire of Honey's banter. He had warned her before that the badger was hard to understand.

Though he was enjoying the show, he too felt the need to get out of there and search for his other friends.

Casually, he strode up to the badger with pleading eyes and asked. "Hey Honey, would you happen to know where Finnick and Clawhouser are?"

While still standing over her moths and absentmindedly speaking to them, Honey watched Nick out of the corner of her eye. Soon after she wore a wide smile tilted her head towards a nearby shelf.

"Oh, those two lazybones," She began, walking around and looking at a box she had set on a rack next to her. "They got a job at the cafe now, they live just above it."

Nick's eyes went wide when he heard this. His ears flickered and his tail hastily swept across the floor

"You mean Gazelles place?" Nick practically chirped.

Of all the places that he thought they'd be, he never imagined that they would work there now.

"Yep, they even bring me doughnuts," Honey replied, holding a box of the sugary pastries of out in front of her. "Want a Honey-glazed doughnut?"

As she opened the box and took one doughnut out for herself, she rubbed the desert against her coarse fur, coating it with leftover honey from her perfectly 'hygienic' sheep deterrent.

Upon seeing this, Nick immediately waved his paw and motioned towards Judy.

The rabbit, being approached and offered a doughnut decided against it. No matter how hungry she felt, eating something like that may just end up sending her to emergency room.

"Uh, pass?" She said with a hint of disgust.

Honey simply shrugged her shoulders and downed the doughnut, it somehow managed to crunch lightly as she devoured it in one bite. As she finished the pastry and went to place the box back, a dull sounding noise came from the door.

Judy, being the closest one and having the sharpest sense of hearing, turned around to see what it was. To her surprise, nothing was out or place or fallen, even the door had remained open as they left it.

"What was that?" Honey asked, freezing momentarily from the sound.

She glanced over to Nick who hunched his shoulders in response, he thought it may have just been the wind.

Sensing something may be wrong, Honey bolted towards the door. Her tags clicked together as the bulky badger had already begun her ascent to the ladder.

Taking notice of the lightning speed of the predator and a chance to finally leave, Judy soon trailed behind. If she was quick enough, she would be able to avoid any trouble Nick may cause.

The moment she took off and reached the ladder after Honey, she thought back to Nick giving her the taser back in the first place. A quiet voice in her mind told her that it was all thanks to Jack.

She turned her flashlight on and ascended. She didn't know how the badger moved so quickly, but from the light that shone upwards, Honey was already gone.

Reaching the top of the ladder and now just under the sink, Judy poked her head over the ledge to see Honey frantically searching the room. The rabbit herself climbed out to a much different scene than she had come into before.

Whereas she had seen everything in order and neatly organized, there was chaos and wreckage everywhere she shined her flashlight.

The pots and pans that had been shelved were now laying on the ground, the table had been shoved away from its resting place. Small fine cuts and tiny holes had now decorated the floors and cabinets.

Across the room, there were drips and spats of red every now and then. Judy could only assume that some sort of fight happened as the markings were apparent, but didn't understand who or why.

She heard Nick emerge from under the sink moments later, gasping from what he saw in horror with Honey. He raced to the badger, placing his paw out only to be stopped by her leaning to the ground and sniffing at the spot.

"I smell a sheep," Honey reported, gritting her teeth and taking yet another whiff. "Two sheep."

On all fours, she traced the room assessing the damages as she went by them. She remained stalwart and scoured every inch of the kitchen into the foyer until she stood up, scratching her mane as if puzzled.

"And I don't know what those two are, but they're gone." She huffed, eyeing the room and shaking her head.

While she hadn't exactly looked as upset as Nick thought she would be, he still felt worried about Honey's well-being as her house had been broken into. More than a little upset, he turned to Judy who looked as horrified as he did for a moment.

"You did close the door right?" He chided, hoping that she had at least listened.

He narrowed his eyes, running over every feature of the rabbit. She may have very well caused this and endangered his godmother in the process.

Judy held her light close and flashed it past him. She knew she didn't close the door, but with her ally out there, she felt as though she had no choice. Sighing in frustration as the damage may have come from them and some unknown other mammal, she walked towards the door, unable to find the words to say.

Honey walked over to Nick and placed a paw on his shoulder. He twitched slightly but knew the badger's grip all too well.

"It's alright, I'll get a mop," She said, slightly smiling "You two go on, and tell those lazybones and crazies that Honey misses em'."

As she said this, she hugged Nick, far less crushing than before, but still not allowing him to move.

"I will Honey, I will." Nick affirmed, futilely attempting to return the hug but still managing to wrap his tail around her a little. "I love ya, stay safe."

Once the badger had let go, she walked back towards the kitchen and waved at the two.

"Okay Little Nick, you take care of yourself and good luck Officer Grumpy Carrots!" She shouted from the kitchen door post.

She watched as Nick waved back, but Judy nervously inched towards the door. Though she had thought the rabbit would simply leave, she somehow managed to meekly wave back.

For this, Honey smiled and called out to them. "Stay awake!"

She heard the door close as the two went about their way, leaving her to clean up their mess. She wasn't the least bit upset now as she walked to a nearby closet, hummed a tune and found the mop.

* * *

* Next time on Zootopia Au: Predation *

The world isn't always what you thought it was

It doesn't have to always be what it appears to be

Yet somehow when a new perspective unravels, it shakes us to the core

As she looked down to the wounded gazelle, her eyes shot open in horror

"You called the popo on us Nick?"

"Seriously Carrots, I thought you were kidding."

* * *

"Watching the light flicker across the room, I spoke 'To where you can face your greatest fear without fear.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! And thus ends chapter 3! I must apologize for making this scenario so long, but the next chapter is a lot quicker paced for a lot more characters and situations. (I've already got the dialogue in place and it's epic!)

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW

 


	17. On the Menu

Hey all, DLW here with a brand new chapter. I'd like to thank all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews and for your feedback (It keeps me going with this)! This arc... has to be my favorite thus far for this volume. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Four: Bite Sized

'On the Menu'

* * *

"When I sat next to you, you whispered and I asked 'What were you trying to say?'"

* * *

[February 4, 'Nocturnal District' 7:42 PM]

Judy had been in lost deep in thought as she followed cautiously behind Nick. They had been back on the streets of the district and therefore back to where she had felt safer in the company of the eyes of the prey mammals that she had seen casually strolling by.

There had been an increasing amount of species, both predator and prey, that she had seen idly chatting, setting up shop or other various activities that they hurriedly collected themselves to do. Around every corner and down every street there were dozens of mammals that had either greeted them in a small passing by or merely eyed them as they padded by about their way.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the under-city life, Judy could only focus ahead and keep to her thoughts. She mindlessly trailed the foxes tail, only ever averting her gaze when some mammal greeted her or crossed her path.

While she had been glad to be onto somewhere promising, her mind coursed with fresh details about what had just happened, or almost happened. The haunting and ever-menacing image of Nick, standing tall above her with weapon drawn, her nerves nearly shot as he could have easily done in with her in mere seconds.

She thought of how she stood there, frozen in both fear and horror, silently hoping that Jack's colleague would show to give her a fighting chance. In that moment, she knew that as the weapon was aimed at her, the fox was just as cruel and as wicked as she had always known their species to be above all other predators. She had no way of escape.

Then, just as quickly as the horror came to her heart, it vanished in an instant. She never expected the fox to give her weapon back, to her the act was unheard of. Since when did a predator, much more a fox, ever show a cowering prey mammal mercy? It made no sense in her eyes.

Without knowing, her ears flopped down and she placed her right paw on the tear in her ear. A shiver raced down her spine as she did so, vivid memories shot back at her for the umpteenth time.

From her point of view, as she walked ever carefully, watching the fox sway his tail as he continued forward, there was no way that Nick could have done that on his own. She idly let her paw fall to her taser as the memory came to an end, she had been completely averse to the very premise that Jack wasn't somehow involved in saving her life.

"Can you hand me my pills?" A voice called back to her, shaking her from her thought and forcing her head to tilt up.

Nick had slowed down to meet her pace, tilting his head towards her with a patient and somewhat pained expression.

Quickly remembering that she had them with her and the fox's past encounter, she reached into her pocket and pulled them out. She was a bit nervous in handing them over but complied nonetheless as the medication necessary for whatever ailed him at the time.

Happily, Nick reached for it and downed a few of the pills. While he would have been grateful to have had water to take his medicine, the simple fact that the pills would ease his pain even a little was more than enough for him to be thankful.

Sealing the bottle and handing it back to Judy, he trudged on. He had more on his mind than the dull ache that Honey's hugs provided him, several things that bothered him to nearly no end since they left the badgers house.

Yes, he was still upset about the whole break in, but inwardly he knew that Honey was one tough badger. Nick mulled over the words he would choose to confront the bunny about them, he couldn't just let it slide.

"I don't see why you were so scared of Honey," He chuckled, hearing a slight shift in pace and heavier steps being taken now. "She's good company."

Nick looked back only to see the rabbit furiously stepping to his side. He hadn't expected her to so boldly approach after her fiasco, but in her eyes wasn't the look of anger he was expecting, thought he could still annoyed.

"She's a crazy conspiracy theorist that attacked me," Judy voiced, motioning to her missing tuft of hair in frustration. "She's clearly unstable."

Nick found the statement amusing, he couldn't believe his ears, or could he? A coy smile crept its way across his muzzle.

"Says the trigger happy bunny who didn't close the door," His words seemed to cause a little tension with the rabbit as she fell behind a step or two, but he continued to grin. "Cute haircut by the way."

Judy, taken aback by his statement, felt her nose twitch a little. Not willing to admit it, Nick was right about what she had done, they had walked into Honey's home unannounced, she had possibly been caught off-guard. Despite Honey's initial attack and reclusive nature, she made the situation worse by endangering them both, twice.

Shaking her head, she had to ask. "How does she go by unnoticed?"

Nick walked in silence for a moment, casually watching for any passerby's that he may have known. He knew he couldn't avoid such a question, but sighed as he tried to form an answer.

"She's not unnoticed carrots, she helped me build the theme park," He began, hearing Judy huff once more from the mention of her nickname. "When I got the idea for the park and found the clinic, she decided to help in any way she could, so she dug it all out herself."

Judy raised her brow at what Nick said. She remembered going to the clinic and how the park was hidden. Only now did she realize how well the establishment was paced.

At that moment, she gasped. "You mean that whole thing was just dirt?"

As she asked her question, a thought occurred to her. Was she really trusting the story of the fox? While there had been enough evidence for her to not believe so, simply meeting Honey for herself and having seen the bunker made her push away her doubt if only for a moment.

"Yeah, pretty surprising isn't it," Nick chuckled, looking skyward and drawing a deep breath. "Took a while to get support beams in and cover it with plants."

Still surprised that the entire place was at once a mound of dirt merely years ago, Judy's thoughts raced from one possibility to another. For one mammal to have accomplished such a feat, and by themselves for that matter, was simply unheard of. What could have driven a lonely badger to want to do something like that? Who in their right minds would-.

Judy's thoughts stopped themselves at that point, she chuckled inwardly at the possibility of the badger being in her right mind at all. Though that wasn't the only thing that had halted her train of thought.

Eyeing Nick intently, a burning question arose that she didn't quite understand. "How exactly is Honey your godmother?"

She watched as Nick scratched his collars, whether nervous or recalling a memory, she didn't know. He also slowed his pace, inadvertently causing Judy to slow herself.

"My folks told me that they knew her after she came back from the war. At first, she was reclusive to most mammals, but after a while, she warmed up to them."

As he began to tell the tale, Nick didn't even try to look back. Had he done so, he would have seen a much different and intrigued look on the rabbit's muzzle than before.

"I don't know the whole story behind her, but she was the only badger left in her platoon and didn't really like to be out in the open. But when I was born, she was around us all the time in Happy Town."

Judy remembered the town well, it was in the area of the theme park. Though here they were far away in another district, either the badger had moved or traveled the distance often to see them.

"Eventually, my parents decided that she would be the best bet for a guardian," Finally taking the time, Nick looked back at Judy, catching a glimpse of her lavender eyes and curious visage. "You know, in case something happened to them."

Judy nodded in response as she could only understand the concept on the surface. She had never heard of completely different species as a part of a family in any way. Even back at home her godmother, godfather, and other relatives were all at least lagomorphs. She did recall her old neighbors that were stepbrothers, but they were still at least in the same general family of species.

"I stayed with her a lot when..." Nick paused, his voice became softer and more melancholy as he spoke. "When my dad went away to prison, and my mom was sick."

She had remembered what Jack said about his parents. One apparently escaped from prison and the other was nowhere to be seen. She couldn't fathom how either event went by without some kind of notification in records, but would follow through in case it was important to the investigation.

"Honey and I played 'war' all the time, and she even taught me the basics of being a medic," As Nick said this, he put up his paws and made air quotes and snickered as he did so. "Still, she doesn't get a lot of company, But I used to visit her every week to check on her until I was locked away."

His voice trailed off, slowly at first, but sounding more strained over time. The more he thought about his situation and subsequent separation from his old life, the more Nick yearned for his hopeful freedom.

"Honestly, I think she was just... happy to be around other mammals for a while." He concluded.

Having taken into consideration the fox's situation, she could somewhat see why Honey was on edge. Even if Nick did this to himself, the badger's lack of company could easily have triggered withdrawal and relapses. It's no wonder that she was so excited when they were there.

Contemplating the nature of the badger and keeping up her pace, Judy tried to think of another question to gain more insight to the mad mammals mindset. However, as she did so, a sudden and familiar grumble filled her ears.

Feeling the pain of hunger settle in, as if to add insult to injury, she caught a whiff of some of the restaurants in the air. The tantalizing and fresh aroma of food wafting by her was far more noticeable now than when she had first arrived. It alone drove her to question their next stop.

"Sooo," Judy began, drawing out the statement in an effort to hide yet another alert from her stomach. "Who's this Gazelle that we're meeting at a cafe?"

Though she tried to make herself seem a little more focused at the task at hand, Nick couldn't help but smirk. He too was becoming impatient and practically salivating at the prospect of food.

"Oh her? Remember that singer that I said my friend Clawhouser was crazy about?" He replied nonchalantly.

Vaguely remembering his statement, Judy nodded.

Nick shrugged, beaming with a smile. "Well, that would be her, the current owner of the Cuerñorayas. Our eccentric Ms. La'Gñeb."

The name certainly sounded foreign to her, and difficult to pronounce. Both her name and that of the restaurant sounded undoubtedly eccentric, but still, she found herself drawn to Nick's previous answer.

"A cheetah," She spoke, raising her brow in the process. "Crazy about a singing gazelle?"

The idea that a cheetah, being a predator, even had a prey mammal as a friend was something that she rarely heard of. Not to mention that they were supposed to be natural enemies from long ago.

Looking back at Judy, Nick nodded. "What can I say, she's captivating, has an amazing voice, and is very friendly."

Saying this, he stared into Judy's eyes and flashed a quick smile.

"Well, that, and the fact that she's..." He paused, ensuring that he had her full attention. "Predatory."

Drawing out the last word, Judy cautiously eyed him. There was something more than what he was saying, but she couldn't figure out what.

"Predatory? What do you mean by predatory?" She asked, her voice more of an accusation than a question.

After checking his surroundings to see exactly where they were, Nick looked down to the smaller mammal and grinned.

"You know, a Vicious Native," He stated, getting a disgusted look from the rabbit. "No? How about a High-risk Resident?"

Neither of his descriptions seemed to sink in as the rabbit looked even more confused than before.

He scratched the back of his neck and tried again.

"Okay, how about Local Liability?" He continued, getting even more of a puzzled and questioning eye. "Huh, ever heard of a Threatening Tenant?" Still nothing. "Uh, an Unsafe Urbanite?"

With each passing term came a look of more twisted perplexity and disgust. Seeing that he would get nowhere, form his terminology, Nick sighed in defeat.

"She's dangerous prey, carrots..." He resigned himself to say.

At that moment, Judy's ears stood on end. Surely Nick couldn't have said that a prey mammal could posibly be as harmful as he had just mentioned. Her eye twitched from the sheer audacity of his crude joke.

"Antlers can be dangerous," She said in a condescending tone. "But I don't get where you come off by saying that she's predatory."

Nick could hear the seething anger in her tone. He didn't exactly know how to respond to her state.

He stopped in his tracks, looking her dead in the eye with a troubled stare of his own. "You're kidding, right?"

Judy clutched her paw in response. How could he say such things, and about a prey mammal at that? That they were unsafe, that they were threatening, yet it was preds that wore collars? Where did he-

"Cinnamon!" She heard Nick call out.

Though Judy could see him looking towards her, his eyes had trailed to part of the street opposite them. Before she could crane her neck that way, she watched as the fox raced across the empty roadway.

Not wanting him to get too far ahead but still furious at his accusation, Judy ran after him. She had been quietly thankful that the street was empty save for a few mammals looking to cross every now and again.

Making her way across, she saw the fox standing over a smaller mammal, barely even Judy's size, ears and all. While she still wasn't done chewing out the fox for his less than appropriate words about the gazelle, she noticed the look of concern he had while looking down towards the lone figure.

From what Judy could see, it was a small possum girl. She wore a pinkish purple dress and matching coat with a floral pattern. Her collar had turned yellow as she looked up towards Nick with tears forming in her eyes.

She stopped just in front of the two unsure of what Nick was trying to do, but she soon witnessed the fox kneel down, allowing the possum to cling to his sides.

"M-Mister Nick?" The tiny mammal wept.

Judy didn't know what to think as Nick patted the possum on her head, smiling as he tried to get her to look up.

"Hey there sweetie, you can calm down now," He reassured her, finally gaining her attention and hearing her breath slowly find an even pace. "You know Salt was worried sick looking for you?"

He continued to let the possum cling to him as she spoke.

"I-"

She tried to say, but nervously stopped as she tried. She looked up to see the fox smiling at her warmly, urging her to continue.

"I-i just wanted to see M-miss Gazelle again." Her tiny voice squeaked.

Nick's ears stood up when she said this, he was now more concerned about the possum than ever.

"You mean you walked all the way out here all by yourself?" He asked calmly, gently looking down upon the nodding mammal "You know you should have asked him?"

As he asked her, he felt her grip tighten around his sides. He was truly grateful to have taken his pain medication earlier.

"U-uncle Salt doesn't like going." The possum sniffled.

Nick looked at her, puzzled as to why she would even say such a thing.

"Why not?" He asked.

The possum let her tail rest and breathed deeply. She tried to wipe her tears away as she spoke.

"E-everyone that eats there makes fun of us," She stuttered, wiping her eye with the back of her paw. "A-and F-f-fennel doesn't like us."

Mentioning the name, Nick quickly deciphered who it was she was trying to say.

"Finnick?" He corrected, watching the possum nod while she continued to sob. "Why do you think that about him?"

The young possum, tearing her head away in shame, looked down and twiddled her thumbs.

"B-because... Gazelle gives us food," She admitted, now on the verge of tears again. "And he... he thinks we scare everyone away."

Nick, now fully understanding the child, meekly smiled and wiped away a tear forming in her eye.

"He doesn't think that Cinnamon." He assured her, wrapping his tail around her and hugging her to calm her down.

The possum, in turn, looked up. Her eyes wishful and yet fearful. Though through this, Nick continued to smile.

"Tell ya' what," He said, slowly rising to his feet and holding out his paw to her. "You come with us and I'll show you that Finnick is your best friend in the whole city."

Feeling better and now swishing her tail, she eagerly reached out for his paw.

"R-really?" She asked excitedly.

Nick chuckled at her quick response.

"You bet," He grinned, smiling at her exuberant form. "Besides, Salt's probably gonna come by looking for you there."

After giving his word to the smiling child, Nick turned to see a very curious rabbit standing just across from them. She had been silent the whole way but didn't seem as upset as before.

Without even thinking, Nick waved his paw towards her. "Carrots, I'd like you to meet Cinnamon. Salt's niece."

Judy looked towards the possum who immediately slipped behind Nick in an attempt to hide herself. Even still, while hiding, she poked her head out curiously. Judy couldn't help but smile.

"Hi there." Judy waved.

While the possum still cowered behind Nick, she meekly waved back.

Nick shook his head, grinning the whole way. "It's alright Cinnamon, you don't have to hide from her."

The possum looked up to him nervously only to be met with a warm smile. Seeing his demeanor, she cautiously walked from behind him and clutched something from her coat in her free paw.

"Look what I found." She said, holding the object in front of her and the rabbit.

Judy curiously walked forward to inspect whatever the child held.

"What's that you got there?" She asked.

Clutched in the possum's paw was a small black feather. It had been bent and was missing several of its barbs, but was still easily identifiable.

Cinnamon shrugged. "It's pretty."

Judy continued to smile at the child, not knowing why she had feared her earlier. Though as she did so, she felt her stomach demand her attention once more.

Sighing out of hunger, she turned to Nick and asked. "How far away are we from Gazelles place?"

At the mention of the name, she watched the little possum gleefully hop in place and stare longingly at Nick. He returned the gesture with a swish of his tail to tickle her.

He turned to face the end of the street. "It's just up the block and around the corne-"

'AAAHHHH!'

Never being able to finish his instruction, the three heard a deafening shrill cry. So loud it was that Cinnamon cowered behind Nick in fear and Judy readied herself for what may be.

"That sounded close by." Nick announced, flickering his ears and holding tightly to the possum.

While there hadn't been many other mammals in the street, Judy could only assume it was someone in potential danger. Having this knowledge, she dashed down the street where she last heard it.

As she ran, she could hear the click of feet behind her and she could see Nick now carrying the fearful possum in his arms as they raced to the source of the sound.

Generally, Judy wouldn't want to let anyone come near a threatening site, but she had to keep Nick under close watch. She couldn't have him leave as it wouldn't be easy to recapture him if necessary, her paws were tied on this one.

Nearly there from where Judy believed she heard the sound, she stopped as she came to an alleyway between two buildings. Not wanting to take chances, she held her paw up in order to tell Nick to stop and give her a chance to scout the area.

Reaching the rabbit and understanding how things could go, Nick halted and complied. He waited with the possum cradled in his arms around the corner of the alleyway as Judy carefully padded her way inward.

Judy, having left the two just behind her, trekked forward ever cautious as to who it was that screamed. Peering down the alleyway, she could see a large trash bin and several figures standing around the other end of the alley.

Thankful for the lighting just beyond, she took the opportunity to gain a better vantage point. The rabbit nimbly slunk towards the dumpster without making a sound, peeking around its siding to see four large mammals standing over a much smaller one that had fallen to the ground.

The four large figures she could see were all tigers, each wearing a different colored shirt but matching pants. She watched as one of them bent down and picked up the figure that they had loomed over. She stifled a gasp as she could see that the smaller mammal was a gazelle and had for the most part been unresponsive in the arms of the tiger.

'Not good, she's bleeding.' She heard one of them say in a hushed tone.

'That was too close' One called out to the others

'What do we do now?' Another voice whispered.

'Let's just get her inside.' The last commanded, causing them all to hurriedly walk away.

With the commotion dying down, and now seeing all four huddle together and dash across the street into the building that lit the alleyway, Judy walked from around the corner. She paced her way to where the tigers had been and looked around to find out exactly what happened.

She needn't look far as when she stepped forward she found small spatters of blood on the hard stone beneath her. She figured that it must be from the gazelle after the tigers had cornered her. She gasped in realization that she must have been the one to scream as well.

Feeling her heart race, she reached for her radio and hit the button as quickly as her reflexes allowed.

Hearing the hiss of the feedback, she immediately called to action.

"This is Lieutenant Hopps to dispatch, we have a potential hostage situation in the Nocturnal District, requesting backup."

Clicking off from her end, she padded around, edging closer to the restaurant to get a closer look.

In a moment, her radio hissed back. 'This is Precinct Six Dispatch, Lieutenant, what's your location'

Hearing the dispatcher call her, she looked up for any mention of the restaurant's sign. She eyed it carefully, though the wording was a little hard for her to read.

"I'm across the street from..." As she tried to read it, she broke it down into something that would hopefully suffice. "Cu...no...reas?"

She again beeped off her radio, watching intently as she could see movement from within the restaurant.

After a pause, her radio came to life again. "The restaurant Cuerñorayas?"

The question hit her hard. It was the same restaurant that Nick had told her about earlier. If she was here, then that gazelle could possibly be-

She hit her radio without a moments notice. "Affirmative, hostage is inside."

Even as she released the button, the dispatch called her once more.

"10-4, Nocturnal District Police are on their way, eta five minutes."

"Understood." She sighed in relief as the dispatch call went away.

If that gazelle was the one in charge and Nick's two friends worked for her, then what could a streak of tigers want with them?

She shook her head. "Nick, you can come out now."

Judy put away her radio and eyed the restaurant once more. The tigers now stood around the gazelle they had placed on a table, seemingly shouting at one another in clear view.

Behind her, she could hear the slow and steady shuffle of feet. She didn't know exactly how to break the news to Nick, but no matter what happened she would gladly do all that she could to help the gazelle that he so inclined to jokingly call dangerous.

She narrowed her eyes and clutched her taser. She had only one round in the gun and one spare that she could use if need be. Even then, given five minutes, four tigers, two rounds, and a wounded gazelle, Judy couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. With limited resources, she'd have to stall for as much time as possible.

* * *

"I sat still, looking away from you only to whisper to the air. 'I never thought you'd be different.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! So much to go over and so little time. And I wonder who will find the little hidden hints I've placed in here. Anywho, welcome to chpter 4 of 5 for volume 1! Every word is getting me more and more excited to write this to the end.

Before I forget, a new Nick n' Finnick should be out this coming weekend, so stay tuned

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

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dancinglunarwolves

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users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

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Also, I'm placing my other stories (non zootopia) on hold (just on hold) until I'm done with a good chunk of these. More info on my profile page.

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	18. Fresh not Frozen

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. I'd like to thank all the readers (4k views on FF, 800+ on DA and 700+ on AO3), follows, fav's and reviews and for your feedback, you guys are amazing. This arc... has to be my favorite thus far for this volume, and you'll now get to see why. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Four: Bite Sized

'Fresh not Frozen'

* * *

"When I sat next to you, you whispered and I asked 'What were you trying to say?'"

* * *

[February 4, 'Outside Cuerñorayas Restaurant' 7:50 PM]

Nick continued down the alleyway, tightly cradling the frightened possum in his arms as he did so. He didn't know who it was that screamed or what danger lay ahead, but so long as the child was safe and his parole officer was unharmed, then he would be okay as well.

He had his guesses, but didn't bare to try and make assumptions on any of them. He didn't like any of the many branches his mind drifted to form the nature of the scream. Still, he couldn't shake the unmistakable scent of blood that hit him with every breath.

Barely even a sound echoed as he lightly stepped towards the rabbit facing away from him. Even at a distance he could tell that she was tense, though from previous experiences that was nothing new. Somehow, something seemed drastically different about her now.

He could vividly remember how her being tense lead to her making brash decisions. He shivered from several times only today that it nearly cost him his life, surely he could try to avoid such a dire state again.

"Augh." He grunted, feeling a sudden jabbing pain shot through the pads of his feet causing him to reel back and nearly trip.

His collar beeped as he awkwardly held onto Cinnamon while trying to shift his balance to his untroubled foot. Barely able to do so and forcing himself to ease the possum down despite her near clinging to him, he looked down to see what it was that caused him to stumble.

On the ground before him, barely noticeable from its surroundings was a ring of sorts. He bent down to examine it and found it to be rather large, larger than he could fit on his digits. It was of a tarnished silver color and was adorned with small bluish stones. Set on its face was the image of what appeared to be a mountain, and when he looked inside of it he could see worn engravings that were no longer able to be read.

"Huh?" He huffed.

Not sure as to who would leave even decent jewelry around, Nick felt a tug at his coat. He looked down to see Cinnamon casting a curious, albeit scared glance at him.

Nick smiled, he didn't like the kid to be worried. He hurriedly placed the ring in a pocket on the inside of his coat and nodded towards Judy, he could always turn it in later.

"Come on Cinnamon." He chuckled, hobbling now to relieve some of the pressure from his feet.

With the possum's paw tightly held in his, he lurched forward. He could feel the child shake so he wrapped his tail around her to comfort her.

"Hey, carrots, what happened here?" He grimaced, his nose scrunching from the scent of blood.

Finally catching her attention, Judy glared back. Though she didn't mean to glare so fiercely at the two and inadvertently cause the possum to scurry behind Nick again, her demeanor hadn't changed for the current situation.

"That gazelle you know was attacked." She said flatly, turning her gaze back to the restaurant.

It took a moment for the words to fully register in Nick's mind. He felt the possum tremble and grip him tighter as his thoughts raced from one to another. His collar beeped during his panic, there was no way that this was happening.

He shook his head in disbelief "W-what? By who?"

Judy continued to look forward, clenching her paw and looking towards the door. She would have to move quickly to make even the slightest attempt at saving the gazelles life, but she couldn't very well endanger the two behind her in the process.

"Some tigers," She huffed, glaring back at them to get her point across. "Stay here with her, I have to stall them till backup arrives."

Hearing the culprits and now more confused than he had been before, Nick watched Judy adjust her coat and begin to walk towards the restaurant.

'Tigers?' He whispered.

He had known of quite a few tigers, and the most common ones that he had come to know were Gazelles crew. With them being across the street, surely they couldn't-

"Wait, Judy," He stopped mid thought, scooping up Cinnamon in one arm and racing towards the rabbit. "I think I know-"

He was stopped at the mouth of the alleyway by a cold and piercing glare from Judy. Her lavender eyes had locked onto his, but he couldn't bring himself to form a single word

"I said stay here, I can't have you interfering." She ordered, ruffling her various equipment.

Nick was taken aback by this, he couldn't just allow Judy to take charge without telling her. She had turned back to gaze over the restaurant before huffing and stepping forward.

"You don't understand," He shook his head, inching closer to her. "That's-"

In the moment he said that, he could feel the possum shift uncomfortably. The rabbit spun herself, now furious that the fox couldn't follow a simple order.

"No, you don't understand!" She shouted, not loud enough to attract further attention, but just enough to cause the fox to flinch. "There's a civilian in trouble and they need help!"

Knowing that this wouldn't be as easy as she hoped, she reached into her coat pocket and took a step towards the restaurant. There was only one way that she could keep Nick here without causing too much of a fuss.

Though still feeling frustrated from the rabbit's stubborn attitude, Nick attempted to follow her. He walked up to the corner of the building that she stood at and sighed.

"Look, Carrots, would you listen for a moment?"

He gestured towards the restaurant with his free paw and tried to find the words to explain the situation better. The moment he did so, he felt his arm move on its own, followed by a swift 'click' of something metallic now encumbering him.

He looked down to his arm and saw that he had been somehow handcuffed to the nearby railing of one of the buildings. Both shocked and surprised, he turned his focus to Judy.

"W-what?" He questioned.

He didn't know how, in one swift motion, the rabbit had managed to cuff him, but nonetheless, he was now tethered there for the time being.

"This is for your own good," Judy said with a sharp tone "I'll be back once this is over."

With that done, she turned to face the restaurant once more, completely ignoring Nick's protesting and the rattling of the chain that held him. She was now free to assist the gazelle until her help arrived.

Noticing that the tigers were hovering around the wounded mammal, possibly arguing with one another through the glass window, she took a deep breath, steeled herself and dashed across the street. The absence of other mammals in the immediate area made the transition smooth for her, she seemingly got by unnoticed.

She ran until she made it the side of the restaurant, now making it easier for her to hide from any prying eyes. Her ears raised and her paw over her weapon, she crept towards the door. From the etched brick to the smoothed carved wood she paced until she could see over the edge. The door itself had been glass, making the atmosphere of the place a little more welcoming as well as allowing her to easily see inside.

From her initial scouting, she could see what appeared to be a clash of cultures in a small area. While there were bright overhead lights, there were a few of different colors. The floor had been a mix of wood in the welcome area and linoleum or tile for most of the seating. Simple booths and tables were set in many areas, but all had similar etchings and colorful displays of menu items.

She could see the main bar set in the center of the room, surrounded by stools of varying size. While wooden like most, the table had a certain sheen and style to it that made it stand out as well as tie the whole place together.

In the corner, just beyond the bar, she caught sight of a small stage with several instruments and seats arrayed around a piano. She may have enjoyed the view if it wasn't for the tigers standing there as well.

Thinking that this would be her best chance as their backs were turned away from her, Judy pushed against the door. Being a smaller mammal it took a significant amount of force to do so, but still with her size she barely made even the slightest sound when she entered.

Now inside, she quietly dashed behind one of the booths that could hide her from the tiger's view. She peeked around the corner, perking up her ears to listen to any tell tale signs of their plans and how to better gain the advantage over them.

She watched as they crowded around the gazelle in one of the booths, somewhat puzzled albeit menacing in their stance.

'Should we call the hospital?' The green-shirted one whisper while the others scratched their heads.

With their backs to her, she moved slightly from one booth to another, closing the gap second by second.

'It's not that bad... right?' Asked the tiger in a yellow shirt, placing his paw on the gazelle's forehead and reeling back as if terrified.

Another distraction, a few feet gained.

'You think anyone heard it?' Came the hushed whisper of the blue-shirted one, seemingly more panicked than the others.

She ducked into the seat of a booth when she heard this, now just behind the tigers and able to see them clearly.

'Did one of you put up the 'closed' sign?' The last tiger, wearing a red shirt pointed towards the door accusingly.

The three other tigers looked at each other quizzically. Clearly, neither of them could remember if they had or not. This opportunity allowed Judy to scramble onto the table of the booth and ready her weapon, she had the upper paw, she could possibly hold them off.

"ZPD Freeze!" She shouted, drawing her taser and taking a stance against the four now nervous and chattering goliath's of mammals before her.

A simultaneous beep resounded as they each turned around to the small rabbit aiming at them. They chuckled nervously in unison, each focusing intently on the taser that, despite its size, could easily subdue them.

"Uh..." One of them fumbled, searching for words as he nudged another tiger.

Judy remained stalwart in her stance, never breaking eye contact and allowing any tiger to make a move.

"H-hello, officer?" The red-shirted tiger was the first to speak.

He turned to the others with a shattering grin, looking down to the gazelle nervously and then back to the officer. It was then that the reality hit him.

He waved his paws in front of him. "T-this... isn't what it looks like..."

Judy sneered at the gesture, she was no was clearly guilty, they all were.

She stood and clicked her weapon, flashing it at each of them. "Back away, all of you!"

He voice, loud enough to reach them and still not overbearing, caused them to flinch a little. She knew her intimidation wouldn't have worked at all without the taser, but with each of them wearing a tame collar, it was more than enough to work.

The red-shirted tiger took a half step forward, paw outstretched.

"But-"

Even through his protest, Judy shifted her stance, aiming squarely at his chest. He froze immediately and placed his paws in front of him to shield himself.

"I've got enough rounds to incapacitate you all," She bluffed, jittering the taser for good measure. "So unless you want to be fried before more police arrive, I suggest you all get down over there in the corner."

She motioned towards the edge of the bar near a set of bathrooms. Her focus didn't leave them just in case she needed to react quickly.

The four looked at her for a moment, and then towards each other. Grimacing at the prospect of being fired upon, they slowly and reluctantly backed away from the gazelle. Each had remorseful and yet upset look about them, but each complied, staring intently at the mammal resting in the booth they stood by moments ago.

Finally gaining control of the situation, Judy took a deep breath of relief. Though her backup wasn't there, she was still able to fend off the threat without having too much trouble.

Keeping her gun out, her next order of business was to check on the wounded mammal and ensure that medical attention wasn't of dire need. She hopped across the booths, landing next to the gazelle and keeping her eyes on the tigers. Only able to take a quick glance for any sign of injury, Judy did so.

"Miss, are you okay?" She asked, shifting her eyes between her and the four several times in a few seconds.

On first glance, the gazelle was still unresponsive, lying her head on the table while a small trickle of blood was seen on a patch of her golden hair. Her long curved horns tapped against the glass on the wall ever so often as she struggled to regain consciousness.

She wore a red shirt and skirt that fit the style of her restaurant perfectly. Adorned on her were various bracelets. Aside from the one around her neck, each had been engraved with a name or phrase. She was eccentric as Nick had said of her to be.

Tearing her gaze away, she looked to see the four tigers, never having moved from their place. Suddenly, believing something was off about gazelle's state, she darted her eyes away from them and back to her.

Upon second glance and going over her features once more, an odd object stood out. As she looked down to the wounded gazelle, her eyes shot open in horror.

"What?" She asked, reaching out towards her with her free paw.

The sole band fixed to the gazelle's neck wasn't like any of the others she wore. It was solid black with a small box that had a yellow glowing light upon it. Judy couldn't believe her eyes at what she had seen.

Fury burned in her eyes when she realized what had happened to her. She turned her gaze, filled with anger towards the tigers.

"YOU PUT A TAME COLLAR ON HER?!" She yelled, breathing heavily as the shock set in.

She didn't know how they managed to obtain one, but it was clear that the gazelle needed to be taken to a hospital to have it removed asap.

A momentary silence passed by them, neither of the tigers knew how to respond. As before, the red-shirted one was the only one bold enough to answer.

"No, she-"

"Shut it!" Judy shouted back, shakily aiming at the tiger and causing him stay quiet in defeat.

Not out of hot water yet, Judy heard two distinct sounds. The first disturbed her as she heard voices from behind the counter, likely from the restaurant's kitchen. The second was the faint beginning of police sirens echoing off the face of the building, help was on the way.

As she heard this and began to breathe lightly, the door of the kitchen suddenly creaked open and she could see a figure facing away from her. They idly chatted with someone behind the door but still were unaware of Judy's presence.

'I knew we didn't have any good stuff in the freezer stock.' A voice called from behind the door.

Taking advantage her not being seen, she nimbly made her way from the gazelle and up onto the bar as quickly as she could. Having the upper paw on both the tigers and the mysterious other, she switched back and forth from aiming her weapon at them and the door.

Seconds later, a large cheetah pushed the kitchen door open, swinging it out as he carried several kitchen tools. In his arm was a bowl and whisk, and curled in his tail was a dish rag.

He wore a green shirt with a floral pattern and contrasting black pants. Atop this, he adorned a chef apron that read 'Purrfect Chef'. Though not typical for his species, he was unusually overweight, even his spots appeared to be larger.

"I told you Finn, fresher ingredients are always better." He continued without noticing Judy standing just in front of him.

He had begun to mix whatever ingredients he had, turning his head slowly to the scene before him.

"Maybe we should call... Lionheart foods... and-" He stuttered, now face to face with Judy and her weapon.

Judy motioned with her weapon "Drop it!"

With the beep of his collar, he let the bowl fall to the ground and raised his paws above his head. While he could have simply placed it on the counter, any sudden movements may have cost him.

"Those were gonna be some good doughnuts too." He huffed

Again, Judy motioned with her weapon drawn, forcing the cat to awkwardly hug the wall and ease his way over to the other side of the bar. He didn't know what was happening, but he took a chance and glanced around.

"Gazelle? Guys?" He shouted in panic upon seeing them, netting him a jolt from his collar.

Still in panic, made an attempt to reach the others, stopping once he realized the bunny was still aiming at him. He instantly froze, nearly catatonic as he patiently awaited what may come next.

'It tastes funny cause you ruined it!' Another, far deeper voice echoed past the door.

Judy could hear the sound of the sirens as though they were down the street from her. A wide grin crept on her muzzle as the door opened once more.

"I told you to get the right cuts and put em' in the pot!" A tiny yellow fox with large ears shouted.

The small mammal had a scowl like she hadn't seen before, as if it were permanently affixed to him by nature. He wore a green and black bowling shirt and carried a large wooden spoon in his paws.

He looked up, scanning the area, searching for the cheetah. "Where'd you-"

Instead of finding him, the fox saw Judy as she pointed her weapon solely at him. His ears stood on end and his scowl was replaced with a gasp of surprise.

"Drop it!" She ordered.

The blare of sirens had fully reached the building, it brought a little piece of mind to Judy though she could see each of the preds cowering now. The screech of vehicles and flashing lights bathed them all in a mix of blue and red hues, her backup was finally here.

The little fox, after seeing this, took a step back in shock. Though Judy still had her weapon drawn and aimed at him, he didn't release the spoon he clutched in his paws.

"I ain't goin to prison!" He shouted, panicked and shaking in fear.

As he did so, his collar chirped loudly, causing him to react and find the strength to throw the spoon at the cop on the counter.

Judy easily dodged the attack, making a mental note on the list of offenses he now had as she watched him scurry towards the kitchen. She grit her teeth as he eluded her with the momentary distraction.

Before she could even attempt to tell him to stay put, the loud sound of the door creaking open followed by a stampede of footsteps flooded the room. Instinctively, she reached for her badge and pocketed her weapon, she'd be ready at a moments notice.

"ZPD, on the ground, NOW!" A deep voice bellowed.

Judy raised her arms, and quickly turned around. Though she herself was a cop in uniform, risking looking like a common criminal would have been a rookie mistake.

She looked around, seeing a few of the officers dispersing across the room. There were several sheep, deer, and llamas in the lobby, while she could clearly see rhinos and elephants waiting outside. One llama in particular, a tall, lanky, and somehow familiar, approached her. His weapon drawn and ready to fire, he intimidatingly stood over her.

"Who are you?" He commanded.

"I'm Lieutenant Hopps, ZPD Precinct One," She waved her badge above her head, sternly looking at the llama. "I've managed to get the situation under control."

As she said this, the llama grasped her badge in his hooves. His demeanor dropped when he read it.

"L-lieutenant Hopps?" He chattered, fully aware of who he was now dealing with.

He snapped a crisp salute, returning the badge hastily. "It's me, Officer DelCorre, Precinct Two."

The name familiar to her, she pocketed her badge and redrew her weapon. She studied him for a brief moment before remembering who he was, one of the cops that aided her when she put Nick away before. She returned the salute and pointed towards the corner.

"Secure these preds and attend to the gazelle, they put a tame collar on her." She ordered, eyeing the tigers who looked up to a sheep and deer officer aiming at them. "Last one's in the back, I've got him."

Orders complete and hearing a gruff yes from the llama, Judy hopped down from the table and ran towards the kitchen door.

"You guys again?" She heard the llama shout.

Taking a deep breath, Judy shoved the door open, welcoming the strong aromas of everyday cooking. She stepped inward, fully prepared to capture the small predator, surely he couldn't hide forever.

The kitchen was tiled with a slip resistant material, its metal counters were lined with every manner of cookware possible. The shelves had been stocked with various vegetables and fruits, some of which were being chopped on board just in the corner.

The whir of a fan above was slightly distracting on the stove range but was something that couldn't be avoided. She saw a pot on the stove, fire burning under it as it gave off a pleasant aroma.

As the door swung behind her, she heard a voice shout. "Wait, lieutenant!"

She shook off the noise, she had to focus if she wanted to find the small fox.

Carefully she padded her way inside, now feeling hungrier as she was surrounded by copious amounts of food. She even caught a glimpse of carrots in a bag that sat by the side of a refrigerator but had to cast her gaze away to avoid the temptation.

"Where are you?" She called, creeping carefully around.

With the foxes size, he could be literally anywhere in the kitchen. This made the situation less desirable as he had already attacked her with a spoon, who knows what he'd try to do with a knife.

Not a sound of the mammal was made that she could catch onto, shifting her eyes from appliance to shelf and more. He was too small to have opened the freezer on his own, but that wouldn't stop him from taking refuge almost anywhere else.

"You can make this easier on yourself you know?" She called to him again, frustrated that he wouldn't just give up.

At the sound of the first noise she heard, she aimed her weapon and waited. To her dismay, it was the sound of the kitchen door opening with the llama standing at its face.

"Lieutenant!" He huffed, having dashed back to the room as quickly as he could.

Judy eyed him angrily, why had he not followed her orders as his superior? There were dangerous preds out there, they needed to be in cuffs by every available officer.

As she lowered her weapon, ready to dismiss the officer, the rumble of the pot on the stove caught her attention. At first, it was slow, but within seconds, the pot lid fell off and onto the floor.

"Hot soup, hot soup, hot soup!" The little fox yelled, emerging from the pot and falling down to the floor.

Judy awkwardly watched as the fox hit the ground, writhing as soon as his collar turned red and grunting in pain as it did so. She had no clue as to why he tried to hide in the pot, but her eyes traced to the equally confused llama and back.

As soon as he could, the fox sat up, falling to his side and resigning himself to stare at the ceiling.

"I... ain't... goin... to prison." He panted, soaked in soup and trying to recover.

Judy shook her head, clipped her weapon to her belt, and walked forward. With the foxes size, the shock from his collar, and the other officer behind her, she wouldn't need her taser to subdue him.

"Assaulting an officer and resisting arrest, that's under Violent Actions, fox." She read off his list of sins and stopped just above him, though there was something odd about the small fox that she just now realized. "Wait, are you that Finnick fox that Nick was talking about?"

Before she could try to pick him up and somehow get him out of the room, the llama stood over the two and knelt down. He eyed Judy awkwardly, nervously rubbing the back of his long neck.

"Actually... We need to see you out front," He informed, reaching down to the fox and easily picking him up by the back of his shirt. "I'll handle him."

He grabbed the fox and cupped him in his hooves before standing tall again. Though Judy was furious as he didn't follow orders, she was at least glad to have the officer take him into custody, she didn't know whether or not the little fox would try to escape her grasp.

The llama marched forward, opening the kitchen door for the both of them and nodded for her to come with him. Judy sighed and walked out, eagerly awaiting the news that the gazelle was safe. At least for now, she had peace of mind that she did her part of the job, she could get Nick when she was done.

* * *

"Slowly I looked down at my hands and mumbled. 'I wanted to keep you away from my fears.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! Hopefully you're all as excited as I am, and this is why I loved this part of the plot (17k+ words just for the detail before I started and this is what it gave me!)

A new Nick n' Finnick should be out this coming weekend, so stay tuned

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

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I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	19. Dining In

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. I'd like to thank all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews and for your feedback, you guys are amazing. Remember when I said AU based on the original concept? More at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Four: Bite Sized

'Dining In'

* * *

"When I sat next to you, you whispered and I asked 'What were you trying to say?'"

* * *

[February 4, 'Cuerñorayas Restaurant' 8:03 PM]

As Judy walked through the kitchen door, she had a wide grin plastered on her muzzle. She had hindered the tigers from further injuring the gazelle and captured her next query for furthering their investigation. It was a win-win for her, she smiled at the thought of telling her co-workers, Jack and the Chief.

She trailed slightly behind the tall looming llama, hearing the clop of his hooves as they entered the lobby of the restaurant. Eager as she was to wrap this up, she was still going to have to give a report on the matter.

"All clear sir." She heard a deep voice call as she rounded the counter.

The voice itself came from a deer saluting them at the entrance. She acknowledged that they must have been talking to DelCorre as he nodded gruffly towards them. They walked past the door and neared the gazelle. She stopped as soon as he did, eyeing the status of the police that stood around in varying spots of the restaurant.

To her surprise, none of the officers had made so much as a move bearing legal authority. No weapons drawn, no detained suspects, not even the slightest effort to bring a medical crew in to assist the wounded mammal.

In fact, the tigers now sat in booths surrounding the gazelle on both sides while the cheetah sat in front of her in the same booth. They all had concerned looks about their muzzles while intently staring at her. One tiger had his paw placed on her shoulder as she rubbed her forehead with one hoof and tapped the table with the other. Even the cheetah looked on, nervously reaching out with his paw.

Judy couldn't believe what she was seeing. How could the officers be this relaxed? There was a gazelle in trouble now, and they did nothing.

She hears a nervous cough above her, the llama had stopped in his tracks just before reaching the table, forcing her to come to an abrupt halt as well. He looked down to his hooves and then to her, his eyes filled with care and distress.

"Lieutenant, there's uh... something you should-"

Judy waved her paw, pointing straight at the predators surrounding the gazelle. Did they not know she was still in danger, why they were here in the first place?

"Why are they not in cuffs?" She shouted, causing the llama to flinch and the whole booth to look squarely at her.

She heard chattering amongst them, not more than a whisper. Turning to face them, their conversation stopped, but she could see that all of the tigers were unamused with her even being there. Gritting her teeth, she looked back up to the patiently awaiting llama.

DelCorre looked down at her and sighed. He paced his way towards the table and set the small fox on next to the cheetah. Each member of the table slightly gasped or hung their mouths agape as the fox lay still, panting and grumbling.

The llama turned to face the stunned lieutenant, hanging his head in shame.

"We can't arrest them," He admitted, nervously scratching the back of his elongated neck. "They've done nothing wrong."

Aside from the idle chattering of the officers going about their various tasks and the shuffle of hooves, Judy heard complete silence. The words that the llama had so easily spat out, weighed heavy on her mind. Even if they were in the nocturnal district, down in the dark, there was no way that any of these cops should have been that blind.

"Nothing wrong." Her paw clenched on its own as she spoke, on the verge of raising her voice louder. "NOTHING WRONG!"

She barely found the strength to resist hopping as she rapidly tapped her foot across the tile. Her arms crossed and eyes narrowed, she looked around her. Nearly every eye in the diner, save for the small foxes were now focused on her. With their combined attention she pointed at the booth once more.

"Does them attacking her and putting a tame collar on her count as nothing wrong?" She shouted to no officer in particular.

Her accusation came with both muffled gasps and the screech of hooves backing away. The hiking of breaths from the table had crossed by her ear, almost sounding guilty as each patron sat. Had she been anywhere near as tall as the other members of the force, she would have gladly cuffed each predator by now.

As she thought to find more to say to the officers who slacked in their duties, the stifled grunt of the wounded gazelle not only caught her attention but that of everyone there.

"T-they did no... such thing officer." Her voice weakened, yet heavily accented.

Judy took a moment to shuffle over her words. She was clearly defending the tigers, but why? There was no reason for her to be afraid, with this many officers, there was no way that the tigers could harm her, barring that they weren't so close now. Still she had to reason with her.

"Then why are you bleeding and wearing a collar?" She asked, concerned that now she may have to help pry the tigers off of her again.

It wasn't that she was afraid of the tigers, but the safety of the gazelle was her utmost priority. If Nick said that's who could help her with the list, then she had better be in one piece when they needed her.

"I...I-i was attacked... in the alleyway." Her breathing was uneven as she recalled the events.

Much to Judy's surprise, the look of concern of the tigers and cheetah only grew. How could they be concerned for her after attacking her? Clearly, something was amiss.

She shook her head, pointing her paw at the predators behind her. "By the tigers, you mean?"

In that instant, the felines in question gave her a sharp look of disgust and disbelief. The cheetah quietly looked back and forth as if to hide himself from whatever fury may come.

"Uhg...W-what?" The gazelle stammered, shaking her head and leaning back. The tiger who had his paw resting on her shoulder leaned out of the way as to not be impaled by her antlers. "No, no, not them."

Again, Judy was surprised by the gazelle's statement. Why was she so protective of them, there had to be something more going on, why else would she be wearing a tame collar?

"Then who-"

Before she could even get her question out, the gazelle winced in pain. She pulled her hoof away from her forehead, bringing a small stain of blood with it. The collar she wore clicked on, causing her to shriek in pain a little more. The table erupted with grunts and sharp inhales of concern, even the llama moved closer in regards to her health.

Judy shuffled forward, eyeing the tigers as she did so. While not keen on the predators, the llama putting himself in harm's way alongside the wounded could very well be a disaster in moments.

'She may be suffering from a concussion.' Judy thought to herself.

There was no other way she could think of having the gazelle adamantly defend the predators who so surrounded her. The wound that she had and the collar that she wore were clear testaments that she was still in danger, and no other cop there was even trying to take their job seriously.

She padded her way until she was a little closer to the gazelle, watching her breathe deeply, and hold her forehead in both frustration and pain. That collar wasn't something that she should have on her, she wasn't a predator.

She clutched her paw. "Let's take you to the clinic and have them remove that collar for good."

Offering the gesture and nodding to the door, Judy hoped that the gazelle would get the clue and make a break for it. If worse came to worst, then she may have to threaten the tigers again. Hopefully she wouldn't have to relegate the other officers for their sloppy work.

The gazelle weakly looked towards the rabbit, panic clear in her golden eyes. She took her unbloodied hoof and reached for the collar, trembling slightly.

"I..I-i can't." She choked, another click resounding.

Judy stopped as she heard this. Was she about to have a panic attack? Was she even aware that she was wearing it? She had to get her out of this mess by any means.

"Why not?" She asked calmly, seeing the gazelle tremble a little less from her tone. She turned to the tigers, eyeing them intently, wondering if they had something to do with it. "Did they-"

She cut herself off as she heard a sharp exhale from the mammal, she tried to breathe deeply, forcing herself to calm as she gathered herself to speak. The amount of worried eyes only grew as she could now see the small fox sitting up and groggily glaring at everyone in the room. As his beady eyes traced across from one mammal to another, he set his eyes on Judy harshly, but towards the gazelle he had a very concerned demeanor.

Slowly, the gazelle lowered her paw, resting it next to the small fox. Judy watched as she sighed and shook her head.

"I can't remove it because I'm legally required to wear it." The gazelle said, turning her attention directly at Judy. Her face soured as she hung her head. "I'd be jailed otherwise."

The restaurant as a whole fell silent as if nobody was there. Judy's eyes grew wider and her ears fell without her even caring to notice. This was something she had never heard of in her life, that a prey mammal would have to wear a tame collar. It wasn't possible, it was a mistake, it had to be. What could a prey mammal have ever done to justify such a sick and twisted perversion of their law?

She felt herself become tense, shaking lightly as she steadied her breath.

"H-h...How?" She stuttered, barely finding the sole word for the question.

The gazelle looked back up to her with a slight smile forming on her muzzle. She had a very warm and welcoming sympathetic glow in her eyes.

"My parents and I were charged under the Predation Clause on all accounts years ago. I'm a lifer for breaking the law with them." Her tone, though heavily accented, sounded far more confident than it had before.

Judy's jaw slowly fell by the second. Either she had heard wrong or needed her ears checked soon.

"Quite a few prey wear them from serious violations," The gazelle continued, pointing to her neck and weakly smiling. "And this is my collar."

Judy's thought battled against one another from this statement. She couldn't accept this as true, it wasn't what she had heard of her entire life. She knew the law, this wasn't part of it, it couldn't be. Could it?

Taken aback by the tiny lingering thought, she shook her head. Her ears stood back up as she sighed. She could argue with the gazelle about law later, but for right now, she had to get the collar off of her, she was clearly delusional.

She turned her gaze to the llama, thankful to have his attention unlike the rest of the officers.

"That can't be right." She protested, pointing to the gazelle sternly and watching the llama's composure drop. "DelCorre, we need to-"

"It's true," He cut her off, pointing towards the gazelle's tame collar and sighing. "I remember my first reaction when I found out."

Her mind went blank. Now a police officer, one of the many uniformed brothers that she shared the same weight of justice with, was saying something so counterintuitive that it may as well be considered sacrilege.

She heard chuckling from above her in the booth.

"Ha, same," The gazelle laughed, waving her free hoof at the tigers and cheetah. "You thought they abducted me."

It was at this moment, that Judy's mind snapped. She was lucky to be a small mammal at that point, for the weight lingering in her mind would have sent many others plummeting to the floor without question.

"Y-you knew about this?" Judy asked the llama, her voice dull and expressionless.

DelCorre chuckled, leaning down and nodding gently. He had a broad smile plastered on his face, though at this distance, Judy could tell it was reserved and as nervous as he was.

"Y-yeah, just a few months back actually," He admitted, scratching the nape of his neck. "It wasn't until I started taking shifts at Precinct Six with my partner Coal over there."

He pointed to a rather large and intimidating black sheep, his uniform loosely fitting over the mass of unshaven wool he had grown. The sheep nodded in response, eyeing the lobby nonchalantly as time went by.

More and more, Judy's mind descended into madness. She had captured nick a few months back, and the gazelle said she's been wearing her collar for years? Her world was unraveling more and more by the second. She had more questions than answers now.

Regaining some semblance of composure, she eyed the feline group menacingly. They were still not out of the water even if that collar was there before this all.

"Then who are those tigers and why did they bring you here?" She demanded to know, wondering endlessly why she was surrounded by predators in the first place.

At first, the gazelle seemed a bit hesitant to respond. She looked around at each of the tigers with both concern and fear. With each of them either shrugging or mumbling something, she took a deep breath and motioned towards them.

"Them?" She asked, giggling lightly and facing Judy. "They're my brothers, and we all work here."

If her mind was broken before, what was left of its fragments were scattered in every direction. The Nocturnal District was some kind of weird world under the city that had somehow masked its twisted nature under the allure of the nightlife and food.

"B-brothers?" She repeated, her eyebrow twitching and her shoulders slouched.

She felt as though something was seriously wrong with being here, something wrong with this mammal who in mere minutes reshaped what she knew. She somberly watched as the gazelle nodded her head and pointed to the tigers behind her.

"That's Mateo," She said, waving her hoof at the tiger wearing the yellow shirt. "Samuel," She pointed to the blue-shirted one next to him who waved back at her. "Daniel," She said with a huff towards the green shirted tiger opposite her grinning widely. "And, Alejandro." She finished, pointing at the tiger wearing red who's gaze never flinched.

A slight giggle came from her again before she spoke. "Or you can just call them Mat, Sam, Dan, and Al like everyone does."

The table began to feel less tense as she looked on. She couldn't believe many of the things that she heard, but far less so could she fathom them being related. Nothing made sense anymore. As she wanted to understand how this could be and question the adoption ethics of the family, the small fox rose to his feet, shaking off whatever soup he still had on him and pointed at her.

"You," He yelled, beeping his collar and locking eyes with the attentive llama officer. "I wanna press charges against that rabbit!"

His voice was impossibly deep for his small frame, but somehow he managed to have his voice sound lower than the chief's ever did. She eyed him carefully, matching his furious glare with her own. At least he had something to answer for.

"Finnick, right?" She questioned, her words seething with anger. "As I recall, you assaulted me."

Upon hearing this, the fox opened his maw and pointed, but no words fell out. He stood there, menacing for his size, but unable to refute the evidence most likely.

"Finnick?" He heard voices call him, from the tigers to the gazelle and even the llama that chastised him with only his name.

Thinking quickly, the small mammal waved both arms at Judy, eyeing everyone he possibly could to get them on his level.

"She aimed at me and I got scared!" He admitted, turning his attention immediately to the cheetah next to him just before the beep returned. "I mean look at Clawhouser!"

Judy watched as the small fox shocked himself, falling to the table again. She couldn't understand why he was so angry and seemed to have only one voice setting, but the cheetah that he pointed to meekly waved and awkwardly stared back at her.

While the few that sat at the table looked onto the fox, mumbling and pleading for him to calm himself, she heard a few of the officers behind her speaking as well. She turned her focus from the booth to the door where a much more familiar fox and possum stood, brightly smiling and waving across the room to her.

"Heya Carrots." Nick greeted, making his way past a few of the officers that seemingly recognized the possum as they knelt down and waved to her.

Knowing that the status of the place was all clear, Judy could understand why they were allowed in. She didn't know, however, how he managed to un-cuff himself and walk across the street.

"How did you get out?" She asked sternly.

Apparently, she would have to rethink having him in cuffs if he was able to so easily escape from them. She thought back to when he had practically begged her to have them removed, but now was questioning if it was all just a ruse.

Approaching her, the fox rubbed the scruff if his neck. "Well..."

He looked down to the possum, who shyly looked back at Judy. She hid behind him without a moments notice, only blinking at the rabbit when she poked her head out. Judy took this as her having something to do with his escape, but as to what, she didn't know. She'd have to press him about it soon, she couldn't just let him get away with endangering them.

Then again, she thought, there wasn't any danger to be had here. She felt her right ear fall as she came to the realization that this was a misunderstanding. How was she going to tell her co-workers, the chief, and Jack now?

"Nicholas, is that you?" She heard the gazelle say, taking the focus away from her and giving her a moment to think.

It didn't even take a second for the fox to lock eyes with the wounded mammal. His beaming smile quickly turned to genuine concern. He walked over to the table, ignoring Judy altogether while the possum trailed behind him.

"Gazelle?" He began, hopping into the seat next to her and looking at her bloodstained hoof and hair. "A-are you okay?"

Gazelle shook her head, feeling as though she made a mistake in doing so.

"Not exactly, no." She replied.

He was about to hop onto the table and have a further look at the wound when he felt a tugging at his side. He knew it wasn't the possum as he could still feel her lightly gripping his tail. He turned his head to see Finnick eyeing him angrily.

"Nick!" He shouted, never once trying to get his voice to tone itself down.

It was then that Nick was suddenly aware of everyone around him. He grinned out of his embarrassment of not having noticed sooner, he was too focused on one mammal to have greeted them properly.

"Hey Clawhouser," Nick greeted, waving at the cat and watching him cheerfully smile. "Finnick," He continued, watching the small fox huff and turn away. "Stripes..." He went on, gaining grunts and head shakes from each of the tigers.

Not able to say much more, Nick turned his attention to the fuming fennec fox. Despite his usually angry demeanor, Nick always knew how to make the small mammal calm down, even if only a little.

"You called the popo on us?" The fox accused, staring daggers at Judy.

Nick, in turn, looked back at the rabbit who only eyed him in response. He chuckled, focusing on Finnick and placing a paw over his chest.

"Fin," He said, faking a pout and acting as if he were wounded. "You know I would never-"

"Save it, Nick," Finnick shouted, a low grumble in his voice and irritating beep on the rise. "That bunny is bad news. I mean look at me! I got soup in my ears."

Even as he said this, the whole table watched the small mammal fall back in shock. Had they never known the fennec, they would have all rushed to help him, but they knew he was always this way.

Judy watched as the few at the table gathered around Nick. Him greeting them all and questioning them a few times while inspecting Gazelle's wound. It was as if he were the centerpiece to them all, but for the life of her, she couldn't understand why the prey mammal looked so comfortable around so many predators.

As she thought over this, one of the deer officers that she had seen loafing around finally walked over to them. He carried a pen and notepad with him, elegantly pacing his way and jotting down several things. His antlers, trimmed to perfection as was required for their line of work. He nodded towards Judy and DelCorre with respect and clacked his hooves together to gain the attention of the table.

"Ma'am, I'm officer Parks," He introduces himself, scribbling notes as he goes on. "Do you need medical attention?"

Though his question is aimed at Gazelle, Nick rolls his eyes. He turns to face him, fully intent on aiding her himself.

"Now you ask that," He says with an air of snark, tilting his head back and facing Gazelle. "Thank you, but no. I'll be helping her."

Judy caught wind of Nick's attempt to enlist himself for medical aid. Had he not listened the first time she said it, that he was no longer legally able to fulfill that role?

"Nick, your license..." She demurred, catching the fox off-guard.

He sighed deeply, knowing full well what she meant. While he was still able to, the law wouldn't see it as professional help, he'd be at a loss if Gazelle said no. Even as he sighed, he looked towards the bleeding mammal who wore the beginnings of a smile.

"No worries officer," Gazelle said, more so to the deer than to Judy. "He's been my vet for years," She went on, smiling warmly at the fox and watching him wag his tail a little. She then tried to rub the wound a to further state the status of her injury. "Besides, it's not that ba-"

Though she tried to play it off as minor, Gazelle ended up bowing her head in pain. The collective gasps of the table covered up the resounding beeps of them all. None of them so much as moved as Judy heard the entire table breathe deeply. Nick, however, turned to the tigers as soon as he could, a low panicked urgency deep in his features.

"You wouldn't happen to have a med kit and ice pack around, would you?" He asked, hopping up to the table and placing his paw on Gazelle's forehead.

Immediately the tigers filed out of their respective booths, practically fighting one another for the opportunity to play fetch for their sister. In the end, Alejandro and Mateo reached the bar and kitchen first.

"Yeah, I'll get the kit it from the back." Alejandro shouted back, opening the door and disappearing inside without a hitch.

The other tiger, took his pace a little slower, looking back at the table questioningly.

"Hey Zel, want frozen peas, or..." His voice trailed off, waiting for her to respond.

With Nick's paw on her forehead, she quizzically looked at the tiger from across the room, not believing what she had just heard. She clicked her hooves against the table as she sighed

"We are a restaurant Mat," She answered sternly, causing the tiger to broadly smile. "That's a health-code violation."

He rubbed the nape of his neck, deep in thought about what he was trying to convey.

"I meant from upstair-" He began, noticing the sharp look Gazelle was giving him. He quickly swallowed the lump in his throat and eased his way into the kitchen. "Ice it is."

With the tigers disappearing, Gazelle sighs. If she hadn't known them, she would have gladly accepted the frozen peas, she could always use them in a recipe later on for dinner. Though mulling over this, she felt a tug at her side. She looked down to see a smiling possum staring wide-eyed at her.

"Little one!" She chuckled, reaching out her hoof to bring the small mammal to her side.

The possum instantly clings to her side, laughing the whole time. She nuzzles herself in the gazelle's embrace.

"Miss Gazelle." She says with a giddy chirp.

Gazelle joined in her laughter. She pat the possum on her head and smiled.

"How are you?" She asked.

Thought Cinnamon only giggled in response, she understood the child easily. Though there was still something that bothered her about her being there. She didn't try to scratch her head to think as Nick continued to apply pressure, but soon, she figured it out.

"Wait... Shouldn't you be in school?" She wondered, the possum squeezing her a little. Knowing that the time was right for her to be there, she shook her head. She wasn't a truant officer, but she knew better. "I'll have to talk to Salt about this."

She heard a soft whimper from Cinnamon, and though she couldn't bear to hear the little girl cry, she was stern and calm. She continued to rub the back of her head to calm her down, still mentally taking a note to tell her uncle.

A sudden cough caught her attention as the deer officer moved closer to the table.

"We still need to write a report on what happened here," He stated, flipping over a new page in his notebook. "Can you tell us who attacked you?"

Gazelle stared at him for a second or two. While she did need medical attention at the moment, she also had other priorities as well to fulfill. She gracefully smiled at him.

"I will, but give me a moment, we need to open shop." She replied as he nodded. She pointed to a booth a little further ahead of them. "We can talk in the corner."

When she said this, she felt a paw reach out and grasp one of her hooves. She turned her head to see Clawhouser abashedly look at her.

"Gazelle," He breathed deeply, barely looking her in the eye. "We can handle it for the day."

Her eyes, full of worry and concern, her mind a haze, she grasped his paw lightly.

"But I-"

"He's right." A gruff voice took her focus. She turned her eyes to see Alejandro set a small red kit with a heart symbol on the table next to her.

The tiger pointed to the officers around him. "Tell them what they need," He then tapped Nick on his shoulder, watching the fox roll his eyes. "Let him patch you up," Lastly, he pointed towards the door to the kitchen. "And head upstairs to rest. We've got it covered."

All eyes on her, she leaned back and sighed. The cheetah got up and walked to the kitchen, nervously eyeing Judy with the fennec fox right on his tail.

"Ugh, fine... Al," She resigned herself to say, waving her hoof dismissively. "But don't be surprised if I come back down if you're too overwhelmed."

She didn't look at the tiger who began to laugh himself.

"Feel free to," He chuckled, making his way back to the kitchen to start the day. "But for now, we'd all feel better if you'd rest."

The tiger disappearing, Gazelle slumped back into her chair. When she caught sight of so many of the other patrons in her restaurant, she couldn't help but smile at them.

"You're all welcome to have breakfast here if you would like." She welcomed, hearing a few hooves clack together and several cheers.

The first one to run to the table, though he was only a meter or so away, was DelCorre. He plastered a cheerful grin and thanked her.

"Sounds good to us." He admitted, pointing to his partner across the way. "Coal and I are almost off duty anyway."

He turned to the deer officer, walking up to him and chatting with him for a moment before taking the pen and paper from him. The deer thanked him and proceeded to walk towards the exit, motioning the other officers and issuing various orders from his senior.

Seeing things go smoothly, the llama turned to Judy to ask her a few questions of his own. "So Lieutenant, where's your car?"

The question came as a bit of a no-brainer to Judy, she hadn't been able to fit her car down here at all. Then again, she knew there were cars stationed outside as they spoke.

"We climbed down." She said flatly.

The llama wore a bemused smirk as he tried to fully understand what she had said. He took the pen and absentmindedly scratched his arm.

"Climbed, huh?" He said, shocked that she had actually done that. "Well... If you need a lift to the elevators, we can take you back after we eat."

'Elevators' Judy thought, turning her fiery gaze to a nervously smiling fox.

She knew there had to be other ways down here, but for the life of her couldn't figure out where they could be. It made sense that some kind of lift would be easier than dropping building material down a hole. Sighing and postponing his scolding for later, Judy shook her head.

"A quick bite wouldn't hurt." She felt her stomach rumble. The elevators would provide her with a quick route up, and food was a plus right now.

She could have sworn she heard Nick cheer, but ignored it completely. She was still upset with him, but at least he wasn't trying to escape, for now.

Her attention turned to the gazelle, she still had a job to do, mishaps and all. She padded up to the table, hopping into the adjacent seat and gaining a grin from the fox. Her eyes locked to Gazelles own, she relaxed a little, knowing that she was okay.

"Would you mind if I asked you a few questions, about a case I'm working on." She asked, causing the larger mammal to blink in disbelief.

The table was silent for a moment or two until Gazelle cheerfully glanced at her. She reached over and grabbed one of the colorful menus that adorned the tables end. After givng it a once over, she looked squarely at Judy.

Putting on as fake of a stern face as she could muster, she made her claim. "Sure, but on two conditions."

Judy nodded. She felt a little guilty about what she put them through. Surely it wasn't something too detrimental for her.

Gazelle traced her eyes over the rabbit, carefully leaning in and making her stance known. "First, please don't aim that weapon at us, we're terrified of that kind of thing."

She had waved her hooves in nearly every direction as a general 'we're' meaning the staff and her friends. Judy herself couldn't help but notice that her saying that meant her herself, something she hadn't even accounted for.

Again she nodded, tapping her paw on the table.

"And second?" She asked before Gazelle would have the chance to chide her.

Surprisingly, Gazelle's features relaxed significantly. She sighed as Nick cracked open the medkit, rummaging through its contents. Though still bleeding a little, she chuckled, sliding the menu over to Judy.

With the most genuine smile and laugh she had heard, Judy watched her gleefully clap her hooves together.

"Welcome to the Cuerñorayas," She said proudly, rolling her r's perfectly. "What would you like to eat?"

Menu in paw and fully knowing that Gazelle was a different mammal than she had expected, Judy smiled back. Even though her mind raced with tons of questions, for now they were all silenced by her grumbling stomach.

* * *

"I looked up to you, trembling as I cowered. 'Everything I knew was wrong.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! So many questions, so few answers for a little while. Also I still can't roll R's, like at all... Luckily there's a gazelle that can.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon.

If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Also, more tenative plans on my profile page (Fanfiction page and maybe Deviant art soon.)

I hope you all enjoy.

Till Next Time  
-DLW


	20. Order Up

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. I'd like to thank all the readers, follows, fav's and reviews and for your feedback, you guys are amazing. One more part to this chapter and then onto the 5th. More at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Four: Bite Sized

'Order Up'

* * *

"When I sat next to you, you whispered and I asked 'What were you trying to say?'"

* * *

[February 4, 'Cuerñorayas Restaurant' 8:37 PM]

Things had settled down significantly in the diner. Many of the police units had cleared away and patrons had begun to fill the empty space, even a few bats had managed to swoop in and hang from set light fixtures if they could find a table. Various predators and prey flocked in from time to time, quickly busying the wait staff to fulfill their jobs. The sound of tv's and music filled the air, and the smell of food on the stove welcomed everyone there.

Nick had given the handcuffs back before he started working, only to get a vicious stare back from the rabbit. Though she and a few officers remained, there was no longer any indication of a hostile situation. They were there now to eat, enjoy and return to their shifts.

She had apologized for the inconvenience and introduced herself to Gazelle properly. She was grateful when she showed no ill will against them and kept her offer.

"Thank you, Nicholas." Gazelle sighed.

He had been patching up her wound, cleaning, and stitching quickly while the initial anesthetic took hold. She was nothing but grateful for the help, even through the numbing pinpricks of pain.

"I told you, call me Nick," He answered, averse to such formalities among friends. "Now keep still."

While he didn't like seeing blood and having to work around it, he couldn't just leave his friend to bleed out more. It was his responsibility as a vet, but his mind began to wander, routine mundaneness setting in.

"So, how are things going with you? Still trying to get that spot in the New Years Animalia Jubilee?"

His question, though only small talk, brought a bright smile upon Gazelle's face. Still feeling the dull numbness in her forehead, and the possum cooing to her side, she chuckled but didn't move her head.

"I've tried just about everything I could to get a sponsor last year, but I'm not giving up on it when the stakes are higher this year though." She said with an air of confidence.

With a smile of his own, he continued to work. "Ever figure out that song?"

He could hear a hiking in her breath as he crossed another set of stitches. Had he not ordered her to keep still, he knew her excitement could have cost her.

"My brothers and I have the music and some basic dance steps down, but I still haven't come up with any of the words."

With nothing more than a nod and sound of approval, Nick continued his work as Judy looked at the menu. She wouldn't admit to how hungry she was, but was equally as nervous with a restaurant that had predators as waiters. Thankfully, for her, Gazelle's presence and that of her fellow officers had eased her mind to the atmosphere provided.

While still deciding, one of the tigers, Mateo, came up to their table. He set down a small bag of ice and carried with him a pen and paper. Unlike before, he now wore an apron with the restaurant's logo, a long curved horn with black and orange stripes running across it.

He flashed a toothy smile at Judy who found herself inching away with the menu facing him. He picked up on her behavior and did his best to hide his fangs. "What would you like?"

"Uh..." She sat there reviewing her options for the umpteenth time, not knowing what she wanted or if anything was her size or to her tastes. Her nose scrunched at some of the options as they were fish or bugs to some degree.

She heard a gleeful laugh from across her, she turned her gaze to meet Gazelle's far more caring visage.

"May I suggest our carrot spice coffee and pancakes?" She pointed to the menu, already anticipating Judy's protest and question. "All veggie I assure you, on the house."

With the free promise of meatless sugar and bread from a fellow prey mammal, Judy couldn't argue with the suggestion. Famished, she nodded towards the tiger who jotted down her order.

"And the usual for you Nick?" He continued, flipping a page and writing down what he already knew what would be said.

"Yep." Nick answered, never looking back as he put the last few stitches in Gazelle's wound.

Judy half scoffed, shaking her head at the meat eaters choice of 'usual'. Though she wondered what it was, her mind replayed everything she knew of a fox's dietary habits.

The tiger turned again, facing Gazelle with a smile. "And for you Zel?"

She took a moment to think, "Just Coffee, I'll get something else later."

Taking her order down, he crouched to the giggling possum and chuckled. "And for you little one?"

She gave no real response, laughing and hugging Gazelle even more as she smiled widely back at him.

"Strawberry-cinnamon roll it is." He said, standing back up and walking to the next table.

As he left, Nick took a pair of scissors and finished crossing the last stitch. Proud of his work, he gently pressed a piece of sterile gauze onto the wound to finish cleaning it.

"Aaaand... done. Just tell Clawhouser to remove them in a few days." He said, offering Gazelle the bag of ice to which she happily complied.

No sooner did he finish his work and sterilize his paws and take a seat in the corner near Judy, did officer DelCorre stroll by, pen and paper in his hoof. He eyed over the table, nodding towards his superior and focusing to Gazelle.

"Can you tell us what happened?" He began, scribbling down his notes for the report. As he did so, a loud voice tore away his attention and that of many of the restaurant patrons for a moment.

"I AIN'T MAKIN PANCAKES FOR THE BUNNY!"

The voice was loud enough for everyone to hear it, though few recognized it as the small fox that worked there. His voice was closely followed by what sounded like distant thunder.

The moment passing in silence and the restaurant regaining its sense of calm, Gazelle focused on the officer to recall her story. "Some strange guys jumped me when I was on my way back."

Nodding, the llama diligently wrote the account. "Any idea what they looked like?"

She lifted the ice from her forehead for a moment think clearly. "They... uh... I don't know actually. I was walking through the alley as a shortcut from errand running when these... two mammals, about as tall as me or so came out of nowhere."

She placed the ice back, feeling a headache grow as she recounted the experience. "My collar shocked me and I don't know how. I think I managed to hit one of them, but they got me back."

As she gave the account and DelCorre wrote his in, the tiger returned to their table with their orders, interrupting their investigation with a tray set with tantalizing food.

"Thankfully, we were across the street," He said, setting their orders in front of them and focusing his attention to the llama. "Saw em' turn tail and run."

As he set the plates, Judy went wide eyed at the delicious meal prepared for her. Though cautious at first, she took a fork and sliced off a bit of the pancake to eat it. The moment she did so, her hunger and the flavor of the food demanded that she continue. In less than a second, she was practically stuffing the first pancake in her cheeks.

It did take her some time to see the others stare at her awkwardly, even Gazelle set her coffee down and Cinnamon stopped chewing to watch her. As she slowed her pace, she questionably looked over at the smiling red fox who was cheerfully chomping down on what looked to be blueberry filled pastries. She raised a brow at his odd choice of food and quietly sipped her coffee.

"Did you catch who they were?" DelCorre asked, nodding thanks toward the tiger who set his food on the other table.

"Not too sure," The tiger answered, scratching the back of his head. "Looked like wolves or something."

"Wolves!" Nick blurted out, starting to choke on his turnover the moment he did so.

Worried eyes of the table falling on him, he pat his chest and cleared his throat as to not cause the others too much distress. Though he recovered quickly and tried his best to put off their cares with a smile, he chewed slower, listening to the account more intently.

"I think so, but... the whole thing was kind of odd." The tiger continued.

The llama paused, eyeing him curiously before jotting something else down. "How so?"

"Well... they didn't have the usual look for a pair of wolves, trench coat and all. Even if they did, wolves aren't usually in this part of town at this time, not with the full moon out."

Nodding in agreement, the officer scribbled the details down. As he thought of what to say next, Gazelle's voice pierced the silence before him.

"Wouldn't be the first time something like that happened here in the district either."

Judy, still nibbling on her pancakes, caught notice of the statement immediately. With mammals missing constantly up above, this may be another lead. "Does that kind of thing happen a lot here?"

Her voice small but curious, Gazelle looked her way. "Yeah, there's a raccoon that's usually here by now. He's always up and roaming the streets, and witnessing stuff to talk about later." She motioned her hoof as if to mock the mammal in question while smiling broadly.

"A raccoon?" Judy repeated.

The tiger, Mateo, nodded. "Yeah, he tips nicely too."

His smile and chuckle were both dumbed down by a low sounding huff.

"Mat..."

The tiger's ears fell to his head. He wore a toothy grin and shrugged as Gazelle stared daggers at him. "What, he does!" Was all he could protest.

Judy nearly chuckled at the spectacle. How the prey mammal kept her natural enemy on his toes. She stifled her laughter as she pressed further into the potential informant. "Any idea where he is?"

As she spoke, she watched the tiger turn his attention to the doorway where several more patrons had entered. She caught the faint glimpse of his smile forming as he pointed.

"Speak of the mammal, there he is."

His gruff voice and features pointed across the room to a scraggly looking raccoon. He limped slightly as he made his way towards the edge of a small booth, darting his eyes in every direction and focusing intently on the window when he sat.

The tiger waved at Judy. "Let me take his order, just follow behind me after if you'd like."

She nodded, cautious still, but followed him after he made his way to the table. As she went, she could see more of the mammals that attended the restaurant. To her surprise, there were a few prey mammals that wore bands around their necks that sported a bright blue light. Identifying them as tame collars, Judy shook off her previous notions and continued forward to the tiger.

She watched as he took the order, thanking the raccoon for his visit as he left. It was then that she approached and got a better look at him.

Being a raccoon, he was about as tall as Nick. He wore a dark green vest that sported too many pockets to count and a pair of jet black slacks. He had the traditional bandit mask that many of their species had been known for. Dark and light brown were the shades of his fur, all the way down to his ringed tail that twitched in the chair.

He looked as though he had seen better days as he propped his right left leg up on the chair and rubbed it as if it were pained. He wore several bandages, some around his arm and a small wrapping around his tail. When he wasn't eyeing the window of the restaurant, he sat texting something on his phone.

She neared with caution. "Sir?"

Immediately, he looked up, startled by the voice of the rabbit with a terrified gasp. Judy could hear the repercussions of his sudden scare as a soft beep followed in its wake. She took a moment for him to calm down, waving her paws and assuring him that she wasn't there to arrest him.

She pulled her badge out once his collar indicator was set to green. "Hi, I'm lieutenant Ju-."

"What do you want rabbit?" The raccoon cut her off with a sneer.

From the tone of his voice, Judy could clearly tell that he wouldn't be easily cooperative for long. She composed herself, breathed deeply, and placed her badge back.

"Do you have a moment for a few questions?"

His reply was somewhere between a muted grunt and a muffled sigh. He paid her little head as he continued his routine of rubbing his leg, looking out the window, and texting.

Having heard no form of protest or 'no', she pried a little deeper. "I was told you observe the streets of the district, is that correct?"

His response was about the same as before, only with a huff and a nod as a difference.

She clapped her paws together as this could help her investigation. "Have you seen anything unusual as of late? Say any strange mammals or odd activities?"

He was silent for a moment, his yellow eyes staring deeply into her own. He shook his head and stared back out the window. Judy herself felt as though she was getting nowhere, she was about to thank him and leave when he sighed.

"Well, there's you, of course." He said as if it were fact, taking the time to tilt his head to the table she sat at moments ago. "Walking around with that fox."

His observation came as a bit of a surprise to Judy as she hadn't been there for too long with Nick. Though the aspect of the raccoon watching them seemed odd, Gazelle did say that he was always watching the streets.

"Some folks missing here and there. Been happening for years and nobody knows why," His voice trailed off as easy going or uncaring before he turned to face Judy again. "Standard city stuff, but you better watch your back."

Being one of caution, Judy took a step back. The way he looked at her was far more menacing than she had imagined. She knew full well the status of the city and its missing cases, but the raccoon's word of caution somehow seemed to be more dire than that of even her co-workers.

She shook off the feeling as he leaned back in the chair.

"Thank you sir," She nodded, pulling out her phone and making a quick note. "And what's your name."

Again he seemed startled by the mention, but all of his focus was toward the window. He quickly picked up his phone and typed, breathing heavily as he did so. In a matter of seconds, he calmed down enough to quickly glance at a bewildered Judy.

"Just... call me Vancouver." He muttered, a blank expression on his face.

She nodded and walked away, silently questioning his strange behavior. Though even before she made it back to her seat, she watched as the cheetah and small fox dashed up to their friend.

"Gazelle, are you okay now?" Was the first thing he asked, much to the surprise of the red fox sitting cross-armed next to him.

Gazelle blinked a few times, slowly removing the bag of melting ice away from her forehead. She met him with a kind smile and pulled back her hair to show him the stitches.

"Don't worry Clawhouser, I'm fine, see." She assured him, even tapping at the stitch line to show she felt as little pain as possible; though he still retained his worried look. "I just need these removed in a few days."

He breathed sigh of relief, but could still be seen as jittery about her being injured in the first place. Before he could delve further into conversation, Finnick jumped on the table and paced his way over to Nick. He caught the red fox mid-bite into his pastry.

"I WANT MY VAN BACK NICK!" He shouted, forcibly setting his collar off to shock him.

As he fell to the table, writhing from the immediate pain, Nick sighed and rolled his eyes. He knew there wasn't anything he could do about it at the moment.

He waited until Finnick had at least regained something of his composure and some semblance of stability before he questioned him. "Hey buddy, I know I owe you a favor, but... do you still have that old guest book from the park?"

The little fox sat up, panting and eyeing the smiling fox as if he were the enemy. He bared his teeth and turned away, fed up with his friend's antics and the loss of his vehicle. Though he turned to face a scolding Gazelle, he huffed at the sight of the small possum staring at him cheerfully; she even offered him the last piece of her cinnamon roll to which he shook his head.

Understanding how upset he was, Nick sighed and reached his paw out to him. He was stopped by Clawhouser before he got the chance.

"Finnick, kind of..." He began, nervously drawing out the words to explain the dilemma. "Shredded... most of it..."

Both Nick's and Judy's ears and jaws dropped when they heard this. Nick couldn't believe that he came all that way to hear the news, and Judy couldn't believe that the best lead she had was shredded by a small fox.

Though through this, Clawhouser waved his paws in a 'no' motion. "I-i did keep the last recorded days though."

Suddenly, the two found life in their ears again. Judy more so out of relief of a lead and Nick for putting him one step towards freedom.

"Do you have it with you?" Nick asked hastily.

Smiling, Clawhouser pointed to the kitchen. "Yeah, it's upstairs. I'll get it for you."

He started to turn back to get the document when his eyes went wide. The table watched him freeze when he looked Nick dead in the eye. With a gasp that didn't suit his size, he pointed directly at the fox.

"W-what's that on your neck?" He asked somberly.

Nick fidgeted uncomfortably, knowing full well what he was asking. "Oh, this little thing?"

He reached up to his collar, revealing the added band that was affixed to it. He forced a smile while the others , aside from the curious possum, equally wore horror in their eyes.

Around the table, beeps of their collars went off from the realization of what he was wearing. Judy watched as the most distraught looking one was none other than the small fox that stood in front of him.

"You're wearing a funeral tie?" His voice, though still deep, was far less aggressive and threatening than before. Had you not heard him before, you'd think he was a different mammal.

Expressions of gloom and worry filled their faces, but Nick continued to crack a smile while he still had the strength to.

"Relax guys," He waved his paws and readjusted his collar to be less noticeable. "I'll be fine, really."

Assurance given, he couldn't stop the heartbreaking stares they were giving him.

Wide-eyed and clutching his paw, the fennec fox shook. "Those things kill, Nick."

Nick sighed. "Yeah, Finnick...I know."

Now angrier, the small fox stood in front of him. "Why are you-"

"It's part of my parole," Nick answered flatly, nodding his head to Judy who eyed him back. "They released me but I had to wear one and help our cute little rabbit here."

There was nothing he either do or say to get out of this. This was his sentence and that was all there was to it.

Judy narrowed her eyes at the statement. "Don't call me cute."

Nick smiled back at her, quickly turning his attention to the fuming fennec fox. "Adorable, isn't she?"

This time, Finnick couldn't bring himself to look at Nick in the eye. He stared blankly at the space between him and Judy. "Why would you agree to that?"

In an attempt to console his friend, he shrugged his shoulders. "Snowflake signed the papers. I kinda couldn't refuse after."

He seemed to relax a little at the statement, though not much as his ears still lay back. He went to say something but a sudden burst from the door and shuffling of feet stopped him.

The table collectively turned their heads to see a rather distraught and tired possum hobbling towards them. He heaved and panted as he made his way over, ignoring the terrified eyes of everyone else there. He stopped as soon as he got to the tables edge where Clawhouser stepped away to the back, giving him room to breathe.

Despite the most of them knowing the possum, Gazelle would be the first to speak. "Salt?"

He didn't respond immediately, only catching his breath and nodding. He looked down to the distraught Cinnamon who clung to Gazelle even the more. He motioned with his paw for her to follow, but she shook her head and began to pout. When she did this, the possum let loose a frustrated huff. Gazelle shook her head and lifted the child up, ignoring the ice completely as she shuffled out of the seat.

"Salt, have a seat and don't argue." She commanded, getting an awkward stare from the heaving possum. He soon found himself complying as he replaced Gazelle in the corner and watched as his niece was seated next to him.

Gazelle leaned down to the two, waving her hoof in discipline. "Cinnamon, no more skipping school."

Her scolding seemed to work as the possum twiddled her paws and nodded weakly. She then turned her attention to the older possum who was still recovering. "And Salt, what happened to you, you look worse than before?"

He shook his head and held up his paw to signal he was fine, though the scrapes and bandages on his tail and face told a different story. He looked at Nick and the others before casting his gaze down at Cinnamon. He tilted his head towards the door, hoping that she would be compliant to leave.

The child shook her head and looked pleadingly at Gazelle. "We got kicked out of our apartment."

The look on Gazelle's face was one of both sympathy and disbelief. She stared at Salt, not looking at his wounds, but his expression. "Wait, didn't you work there? They let you go?"

He took a moment to sigh, and then nodded.

Gazelle placed her hooves on her hips and smiled. "Why don't you work here with us then?"

His ears perked up and he looked at Gazelle as best as he could before he huffed and turned to his niece. He motioned his paws in all manner of ways as she watched carefully. She nodded and looked wistfully at Gazelle when he had finished delivering his message.

"Uncle Salt says he can't stand heat too well. It makes him really itchy and it hurts more." She replied, placing a paw on her uncle's arm.

As Gazelle stood there, thinking of what to do, she felt a paw weigh down on her shoulder. She turned her attention to the smiling Mat behind her.

"We do have a spare room and could always use someone to help just bust dishes and close with us." He invited.

Gazelle chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"Would you be okay with that, Salt? We have plenty of room upstairs for two more and I can watch Cinnamon while you work with the guys. Deal?" She held out her hoof to the possum, though he shied away at first, the near tearful eyes of the child forced him to reach out his paw and comply.

While she made the agreement, Gazelle noticed the angered look on Finnick's face. So before he could say anything, she leaned forward.

'Fin, be nice, you know what it was like for you.' She whispered, low enough for only the two foxes and Judy herself to hear.

Finnick only crossed his arms and huffed, but soon saw the child smiling at him again. Though not willing to, he started to smile himself.

Nick chuckled at the spectacle, taking another bite of his lukewarm pastry. He was enjoying the flavor until he heard a fake cough from Gazelle, gaining his attention.

"Nicholas, we have burn ointment in the kit. Do you mind helping Salt for a moment?" She pleaded, knowing full well what buttons to push.

He quickly put down the pastry, giving her a plastered smile. He didn't want to leave his pastry, but refused to let the opportunity fall to someone else to help the possum in need. He reopened the kit and hopped onto the table despite the possum's protest.

As Nick started removing the bandages, Cinnamon looked up to Gazelle shyly. "Miss Gazelle, can you play that song?" She asked in a hushed tone.

Though the question came unsurprisingly, she cheerfully pat the child's head. "Sure little one."

She gracefully skipped over to the musical stand where their instruments lay, selecting her guitar out of them all. A standard acoustic guitar, with a glossy finish and various shapes of hearts and animals drawn all over it. After strumming to ensuring it was in tune, she walked back to the table and sat next to the possum's.

"You really should be resting, Zel." She heard from across the room to where Alejandro stood bringing out an order.

She shook her head, raising her hoof to tell him she was fine while she bean to play. She plucked at the strings, their tune becoming a soft and harmonious melody. The high notes not overly stressed, the low keys not saddening; even the repeated notes sounded different and more joyous than before. Though there was music playing still in the background, her song attracted the attention of many of the mammals there.

As she came to an end of the song, she heard several mammals clapping to their best. Some cheering encore and others whistling that she played again. She smiled and thanked the patrons while idly strumming to pass the time.

Judy herself couldn't help but stare in awe and clap herself, she hadn't heard a song like that before. She attracted the attention of Gazelle who chuckled at her applause.

"That was amazing." Judy cheered.

Gazelle continued to hum and strum the instrument. "Thanks, my mother taught it to me before she passed. I never learned any of the words though."

Judy could hear a slight shift in her voice. A somber tone that didn't match any of the features of the cheerful mammal she had seen since she got there.

Her eyes set on the tame collar that the prey mammal wore, she felt a burning question arise. "How are they your brothers?"

Gazelle stopped strumming her guitar and looked around the restaurant to the tigers going about their jobs. She smiled as she sighed, and slowly plucked a few strings. "My family and I came to the city from the Forrest."

She strummed the instrument slowly as she told her story. "We were outsiders just trying to make it, and a lot of prey citizens didn't like us. Mom was in music, dad in business, and me in high-school."

She felt herself laugh as she thought back. "The La'Gñeb's were the first to actually welcome us, they saw us as friends immediately. Their Pa owned this restaurant as an inheritance, and their Ma taught dance when she could."

She smiled as her family busied themselves, one or two nodding in their direction while she idly played. "My parents opened a music shop downtown and didn't see any issue with predators as guests and patrons. They were so nice to us, but... some of the prey citizens didn't like that."

Her tone dropped along with her posture. Her notes took a lower tone than what she wanted to find. "So... they... someone burned it down one night, we never found who."

The tempo grew faster.

"When the authorities came, they thought the La'Gñeb's were responsible as they were seen around us a lot. My parents refused to press charges as there was no evidence. They tried to arrest them on conspiracy, but my father fought back for them, hoof, teeth, and horns until he was arrested."

Faster and faster still.

"After a long series of legal battles, we were found guilty of fraud, assault, and so many other things. The judge gave my father a choice to confess or face punishment. He chose to wear a collar, and so did mom and I."

The sound came to a stop, her glossy eyes slowly focused on Judy.

"I almost died the day after I got it on too. I learned the hard way that you can never shower with it. Ma La'Gñeb had to break down the bathroom door to get there in time, she even tried to lick me back to life after she saved me."

She placed the instrument down to rest at the table side.

"After that, we decided to move down here as they invited us. We've been together ever since. Both sides even became legal guardians for the others children."

She clacked her hooves together and grinned widely.

"And that's how I went from the sweetest Thomson," She flashed the cheesiest smile she could. "To the most dangerous La'Gñeb."

Judy sat there in awe of the tale, she had never heard of anything of the such. From a prey family to being adopted by predators, she didn't know what to think. She did, however, raise a brow at the last part.

"You, dangerous?" She sassed.

"Yeah, far more dangerous than us." A voice called out from behind the bar, Al waving at them and taking an order.

"Almost pokes our eyes out every day with those antlers." Another voice called, Mat stepping up to the officers beside them.

Gazelle gave him a stern look. "And you keep using them as floss Mat..."

He rolled his eyes, thanking the officers and walking up to their table to check on them.

"But anyway, that's pretty much who I am," Gazelle sighed, fiddling with her tame collar. "A gazelle considered predatory and sentenced to wear this for life."

Judy momentarily sat still, eyeing the device. Like the other prey she saw wearing them, the indicator glowed a soft blue color. She felt no danger around the prey, but still didn't fully understand how that came to be. Despite all of this, she scratched her neck, thought she couldn't explain why.

As she thought, the tiger, Mateo, stepped up to them. "Well, she doesn't have to because of Swinton's 'Rehabilitation Clause'."

He wiped his paws together, seeing who needed what removed from the table. He failed to notice, however, the glare that Gazelle had given him.

Out of curiosity of how such a thing was removed and silently thankful for the possibility of Gazelle being freed, she pressed the question. "Rehabilitation Clause?"

The tiger scratched the back of his neck, ignoring the stares and head shaking of his family across the room. "Yeah, it's a small addendum to the Swinton's clause changes that allows prey to have their tame collars removed after a-"

"ENOUGH!"

Gazelle's piercing voice rang across the room, startling many and silencing everyone. Even Nick, who had just finished wrapping the possum's burn wounds, had been shaken to the core from the sound.

As commanding as it came, so did her inevitable shock that forced her to hunch over and grasp at her neck in pain. Many eyes watched her as the two present tigers rushed over to aid her. They were by her side in seconds, raising her up and sitting her back on the seat.

The small possum whimpered into her side as she drew small breaths in recovery.

"I-i told you already... h-how I feel about that," She spoke, her voice raspy and pained. "I-i can't do it.. there's no point."

The tigers held their heads in silence, neither daring to move as they watched over her.

"T-there is nothing... to rehabilitate about me. You're all my family, and I refuse to believe otherwise." She continued to say, tears welling in her eyes as she looked up to them.

Her collar beeped again, turning yellow, and on the cusp of red.

"I'd rather die with this on than reject what I believe in." She told them, feeling a slightly less powerful jolt that forced her to stare at the floor.

With fresh tears falling from her eyes, she folded her arms and whispered. "So please... don't try to convince me."

She felt heavy paws on her shoulders, and a set of smaller paws at her back. The tigers stood above her with woeful looks of their own while Finnick and the possums tried to smile and cheer her up.

"Sorry Sis," Mat apologized, reaching her hoof with his paw. "Let's get you upstairs."

Tired and shocked from her experiences, Gazelle nodded and stood up. She didn't complain as she leaned on his shoulder and was escorted to the back.

She paused for a moment, to look back at Judy. Her smile dull and faded, but still hanging on. "Take care, Nick, and Judy." She spoke, and continued on her way.

With her being taken away, Finnick turned to the possum pair and sighed. He motioned for the two to follow him as well. He hopped down from the table, giving Nick a glare and pointing straight at him before leading the two to the kitchen.

In moments as Judy processed what was happening, Clawhouser walked out from behind the bar with a somber look on his muzzle and a few papers clutched in his paws. He had appeared somewhat pale, but Nick could clearly tell what he was distressed about.

"Here's the list, Nick." He said, casting his gaze downward and handing the papers to him despite Judy reaching out.

He happily took them in one paw and bit into his pastry with the other. "Thank's Ben. Oh, and Honey says hello."

The cheetah perked up from hearing the mention of the badger. Though he looked to want to say something, he waved at the two and slipped back to work.

Judy, now being alone with Nick once more, thought to simply demand the paper from him, soon caught him eyeing the names intently as if to make a mental listing. It was something that she had commonly done herself, but she didn't know how he'd fare.

Peering over to the list, she heard a muffled cough that caught her attention. She turned to see DelCorre and his partner standing up at the edge of the table and saluting her.

"Lieutenant, when you're ready, we can give you a lift to the elevator." The llama announced.

Standing up herself and saluting, she motioned for the fox to follow suit. He promptly pocketed his last remaining pastry and hopped down off the seat to follow her.

As left through the door with the llama ahead of them, the sheep officer, Coal, faced Judy and Nick with a stern stare.

"Does he need cuffs?" He asked gruffly and pointed accusingly.

Judy looked down at the cuffs that he had returned to her and clutched them in one paw. She didn't know why she hesitated, but something felt... off about it to her. She turned to Nick who offered her a weak smile and his wrists in return.

It was then that she shook her head and waved her paw dismissively at the officer.

"Not needed for now." She replied meekly.

The sheep huffed in agreement, waddle-walking to his best towards the vehicle parked further down.

The fox's smile grew and she heard the faint beep of his collar before she turned and pointed him in the direction of the cruiser down the street. He happily walked towards them, skimming over the paper as he got closer.

Judy, however, stopped as an odd feeling crept up on her. Thought she first thought it was her cautionary stance when Nick was behind her, she looked down the street away from them to see a lone figure standing and staring into the restaurant.

From its shape, height, and lighting, she could tell it was a koala. She breathed deeply, having felt better that Jack's companion was still as vigilant as when they were at Honey's.

Thought she would have to tell Jack about what happened when she was in the bunker, she continued her way to the cruiser. She had what she came for, she could go home when she was done.

* * *

"I watched you smile warmly at me and I answered. 'Maybe... you aren't what was wrong.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! You know that moment when you realize their last name is just Bengal backwards with accents?

And we're near the tail end of the fourth chapter of this volume. One more and chapter 5 here we come.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

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users/DancingLunarWolves/works

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Till Next Time  
-DLW


	21. Take Out

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. I'd like to thank all the readers (5k+ views on FF, 1000+ on DA and 900+ on AO3), follows, fav's and reviews and for your feedback it makes writing all the more fun. And now, chapter 4 comes to an end, moe at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Four: Bite Sized

'Take Out'

* * *

"When I sat next to you, you whispered and I asked 'What were you trying to say?'"

* * *

[February 4, 'Nocturnal District' 9:27 PM]

Judy cast her gaze reflectively upon the lowly tinted windows of the cruiser. The slow rocking and rhythmic bumps of tires on brick-paved path was soothing and isochronal. Even stopping frequently as there were very few stoplights, but numerous stop sign's, the llama's driving was nothing but on point to help her relax and egress her focus to her thoughts.

She had been sitting in the back seat with Nick, wondering if she made the right choice in letting the fox go un-cuffed for the duration of the ride. Sure, he wasn't causing trouble as he continued to read from the list given to him and sneaking small bites of his leftover meal; but the fact still stood that she, on her own accord, made the call to let him do so.

'Why didn't you put him in cuffs? He's a predator, a FOX. Don't you remember? What if he tries to attack you again?' Her forethought cried out, mindlessly glancing over to him and catching the slightest brim of him smile back to her.

In doing so, she returned to gazing out the window, watching the nightlife stroll by on every corner with citizens of every kind walking the streets. She thought of the time she had here, how so many things had changed in just a few hours that she had never heard of in years on the force.

From the district itself, to the crazy conspiracy theorist badger that nearly cost her life, though admittedly her fault, kind of; then from tame collar wearing gazelle, to the same mammal being adopted by a family of tigers, and she was considered dangerous and predatory even by their standard.

So much was on her mind, and so many things weighed heavily in her thoughts that all she could do was heavily sigh. It wasn't that she was saddened by her departure, or even tired from the copious amount of sugar she had, but some things still bothered her. Why was everything so different from what she had experienced from predators before? Why, in one day, did nothing make sense to her anymore?

Entrenched in this thought, her eyes strayed over to Nick once more. Though never turning her head to see him, she watched him as though he were a stranger anew, someone different that she hadn't met that morning, someone that wasn't-

She never noticed her paw stretching up and reaching the long gone piece of her ear. As she felt it, she shuddered and tore away her arm as if it were a venomous sting; snapping her out of her stupor of thought and forcing her to cringe in complete disgust at her own misgivings.

'Never trust a fox.' The deadening voice rang through her head, monotone and demanding. Its silent tone only reaching her, though she could swear from the way her ears stood on end that it was the mandate of a mammal, colossal in stature.

So loud was the voice, that she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, readjusting her posture as she felt her ears were on fire. Finally, after a moment, she felt at least a little at ease; being able to hear the gruff voice of the black sheep ahead of her and the boisterous chide of the llama seated next to him.

She huffed, not daring to look at the ruddy passenger next to her as she recalled the mantra that echoed throughout her being. With a pinched lip and forming sigh, she quietly mouthed, 'Never... trust... a-'

"We're here. Central Spire"

The voice startled her a little, though its familiarity lessened the blow. The llama, DelCorre, smiled promisingly at her through the grated metal window of the car. He tilted his head with the resounding click of the door and awkwardly slipped out of the vehicle. Though Judy had never once seen a llama make their way into or out of a car, it was comical, to say the least. To have witnessed a literal game of 'limbo' as he tried to avoid hitting the roof from the un-customized car and his height.

She softly chuckled from the display, shaking her head at the motion as he popped open her door and idly scratched his head. She hopped out quickly and had to somewhat shield her eyes when she was met with a rather gracious and albeit intense light just beyond him.

From what she could see, it was a rather large structure that clashed with the natural setting of the cave. The ground appeared to be a dark marble platform with gates that shone brilliantly in the midst. Several mammals stood by idly chatting, fully dressed in white uniforms and waving at others that came and went from silver colored and glass set doors.

Taking a few steps forward, she heard a second set of feet hit the hard stone ground. She turned from the beaming light to see the smiling reynard rightly standing and securing his glasses to the ample ambient light. With the clack of his toes, he thanked the officer who in turn saluted him back before awkwardly setting himself in the car again. Doors shut, the two waved goodbye at Judy and headed down the street without a second word.

She waved them on, gaining a better feel of her surroundings and now being left alone with Nick again. Though part of her mind continued to repeat her mantra, she bit her tongue and took a moment to adjust her eyes to the blinding light before her, and somehow above.

"Why is it... brighter?" She asked, more to herself than to Nick in particular.

For whatever reason, she could see that the cave was slightly less dark than when she had first gotten there. Where she could make out the faint bulbs set in the ceiling before, now she could see more detail, though it still paled in comparison to natural sunlight.

She heard him chuckle behind him, forcing her to turn and face him as she couldn't ever bear to have her back turned to him for more than a moment. She was met with him grinning smugly, peeling his transition glasses off enough to give her the faintest glimmer of his green eyes.

"Oh, that." He chuckled, pointing to the cave ceiling. "They turn up the lights here around now just a little," He shrugged, pulling his glasses back on and walking towards Judy. "Makes it easier on everyone if it's not too dark, and reminds them it's time to get up."

As he walked by, she stared a little more, gasping in awe that, despite everything she thought the district would be, it wasn't ever truly 'dark'.

He paused for a moment, shaking his head at her gleeful stare before he padded away.

"If you like this, then you should see their light shows on the holidays." His voice resonated with a cheerful tone. "Christmas is the best. They do a whole planetarium and cosmos thing."

Smiling at the realization, she resumed following the fox. She trailed close enough as to stay within reach but noticed his idle tail swishing as he yawned and stretched. She too would have been infected by the contagion, but with fresh caffeine coursing through her veins, she resisted.

They approached the gates and were welcomed by a plethora of smiling mammals, but were waved over by a white coated ewe towards their sized gate. After walking through and having her escort them to a set of elevator doors, she pressed the call button for the lift, thanked them for their visit, and walked back over to her station.

Nick stood there idly picking at his coat seam while they waited, though Judy faired no better in her boredom. She couldn't tell whether it was from the coffee or just her natural habit, but she had to force herself to stop rocking back and forth on her feet.

In a few minutes, the elevator reached its destination with a lazy beep. A cold rush of air emitted when the doors opened and they quietly stepped in. It automatically closed behind Judy, making her silently thankful that this was an option for future visits.

As they heard the slow turning of cables and saw the soft blue lighting of the elevator, they felt the room as a whole make its ascent to the world above.

Judy sighed, leaning into one of the sides of the elevator car. The cold floor was something she could have done without, but she soon noticed that she could see out of the door and therefore out into the district itself. She inched her way over, seeing the beauty of the city below as it became smaller and smaller.

The one thing that caught her attention, even as she did this, was Nick fumbling with the paper and looking out as well. Her curiosity peaked as he looked out the glass in a pensive manner.

"Any names look familiar?" She asked, breaking the deep silence.

He was startled at first, taking his focus away from the glass and now turned more so to the paper.

"A few, but..." He sighed. "Some of them I don't recognize immediately. I can already tell they're nicknames."

Judy pulled herself away from the glass, looking him square in the eye. "Is that a problem?"

He blinked a few times, looking at the note for a little longer before grinning widely.

"Shouldn't be," He reassured her. "I know everybody."

Once-overing his features, she sighed and resumed her gaze outside. They were surprisingly high up, but still, the city lights were in sight. Seeing her own reflection in the foreground, she let her mind wander to and fro. So many questions appeared from the case to her own curiosities, she couldn't think of how to ask what information she wanted from the fox.

"So, you've known Gazelle for a long time?" Her question was an enigma to her, something prattled out of the corner of her unconscious thought.

In doing so, however, she heard the fox sigh. Not knowing what his response would be, she watched as he pressed his paw up to the glass and bowed his head as if it was a heavy burden placed on him.

"Yeah..." He said somberly, pausing to place the note in his inner coat pocket. "She was... the first tamed prey that I've ever actually met. Clawhouser introduced me to her when we were in high-school."

Intrigued, her nose twitched. She hadn't thought that they knew each other for that long; but then again, she didn't know much about him until today.

A thought occurred to her, forcing her to look out to the diminishing city. "Did... she ever come to your park?"

A deathly silence coursed its way through them, and at first, he didn't even move. He continued to stare listlessly outside, only drawing breath when his paw slipped off the glass and to his side.

"When the park opened, I didn't invite her at first." He answered, now seeing his reflection as the city disappeared further and further away. "I had my license and everything was up and running, I was even her vet at the time."

He paused, watching the last bit of the city disappear before being replaced by a wall of smooth lit stone.

"Heh...It's kind of funny," He backed away from the door and chuckled, his paws dangling freely by his side. "I had known her for years and she was the one of the nicest mammals I've known... Yet I was still reserved about her being there despite going to her restaurant all the time."

Judy was about to ask what made him change his mind, but he beat her to it.

"I thought she would sell us out," He admitted, finally resigning himself to lean against the wall and stare at the ceiling. "Being a prey mammal in a predator's paradise and all. But I knew it wasn't true."

His tone, she noticed, began to drop sharply.

He eyed his paws, huffing at the distant memory. "I realized the mistake I made by excluding her," He turned to face her. "I knew then that I was no different than..."

Judy watched as one of his paws carelessly drifted to his neck, grasping his collar unwittingly. With her eyes focused there, saw him flinch and quickly move his paw to his shoulder, scratching it and weakly smiling.

"The next day, I called her and told her to come straight to the clinic when she had a chance." He began to chuckle a bit, gaining a questionable eye from Judy. "To this day I have no clue on how she got there in a ten minutes."

Judy thought for a moment, with the rate the elevator's going and the distance from here to the theme park, she knew it was impossible.

"She was the first prey mammal there, and one of the few that ever came by often," He went on, feeling the elevator slow its ascent. "I even let her and her brothers run a concessions booth in their off time."

They heard the creak of the motor die down.

"Gazelle only really ever sang though," Nick mused, swishing his tail and shrugging at her antics. "Her voice brought a lot of attention to the park. We once got a night dedicated to her music, and it was beautiful."

As the elevator came to a stop, the bing of the sound system let them know they arrived. When the doors opened, Nick casually stepped out and into the lobby followed closely by Judy. Unlike below, the area was a large building instead of open space; it was set with smooth granite floors and dim overhead lights, far less lavish than the district they left.

Walking off the elevator, it was about the same, stations set with several mammals greeting others and calling elevators. They were ushered over by a beaver wearing the same clothing as the ewe that sent them to the surface. After getting through the gate and strolling through the door of the building, they were finally outside and back in Sahara Square.

Judy took a deep breath as she was back to the world that she knew. Streetlights guiding citizens, sirens wailing as cars speeded by, countless buildings under a moonlit and starry sky. It was the same city she had known for years, but it seemed different from when she was in the Nocturnal District, even the air seemed to taste drier than she remembered.

"You know where you parked?" Nick's voice came to her, causing her to flinch.

While she had remembered where she parked, she had no clue as to where that would be from here. Nervously, she shook her head. She had to get back, and she needed the only lead they had, the one he currently held.

Nick shook his head as well, but grinned while doing so. He shrugged his shoulders and began to walk down the sidewalk. "Just follow me then, Carrots."

She felt her paw clutch from the name but didn't feel the same anger as before. She couldn't explain why, but something had changed her train of thought. Whereas before, she would have cuffed him before even leaving the restaurant, now she allowed him to lead her unchained and above ground.

Yet despite her change in stance, she was still cautious. She trailed behind him only a few feet away, still hearing the voice call to her 'Never trust a fox.'

Before they even made it past the first block, she felt her pocket buzz. She quickly pulled out her cell phone and took a look at who it was.

To her surprise, the small screen display lit up reading '37 new messages' for her to sort through. Nearly gasping at this, even worse than that, was that they were all from Jack.

As quickly as she could, she unlocked her phone and began to dial his number, never finishing it as his contact showed up as calling her right then. Immediately she answered.

"Hey, Jack." She voiced, keeping her eye on Nick.

"JUDY!" He replied, shouting over the line and forcing the doe to remove the phone for a moment.

Shuddering as she lowered the volume, she placed the phone in her other ear to listen.

"I've been trying to reach you for hours," He sounded panicked, the clear roar of an engine in the background. "Are you okay?"

She paused for a moment to recount the things that happened to her, but nothing she experienced was too traumatizing, aside from a haircut.

"Yeah, I'm fine," She said sheepishly, scratching at the spot of missing hair that she now missed. "I guess my phone coverage doesn't apply to the Nocturnal District."

To her point, she hadn't even thought of how her phone would work deep underground. Had she not had Jack's colleague watch her, her only means of communication would be her radio. Her jaw dropped now seeing the situation in hindsight, she wasn't fully prepared.

She heard him sigh and then breathe deeply. "Did you get the document?"

She looked ahead to watch Nick, still strolling under the city's dim lighting. For a moment, she kind of missed seeing the streets below and how vibrant they were. For now thought, she was happy to have accomplished her task.

"Yeah, Nick has it on him," She replied hastily. "He said he knows some of the names already, but it'll take some time to get all of them together."

She heard the revving of the car engine grow louder.

"Good work," Jack avowed. "But I still need to pick him up so you can go home for the night."

Hearing that she was to be finally relieved of duty, for now, she mentally made notes of what she would do when she got back. Though she had dozens of questions to ask Jack, his absence left her wondering. "Where are you?"

A bit of static sang its way through her phone. Or maybe it had been her imagination when she heard nothing but silence for a full minute.

"We had a bit of..." Jack drawled, emphasizing his dilemma. "An emergency situation, we're heading to the underground for a few."

Judy's ears perked up. Her eyes barely ever left Nick, though he seemed to be carefree in his stride.

"We just left there." She stated as a fact.

She felt as though she should stop and call the fox back, but Jack's next words stopped her.

"Then we'll just have to miss you." He replied in a singsong tone.

Not sure whether it was a joke or what he truly meant, she decided to press the situation.

"Did you... need me to bring him to you?" She offered, picking up her pace to catch the fox before he went further. "We can go back to the elevator and-"

"NO!"

She again peeled the phone away from her, reeling from the pain of having acute hearing. It took her a moment to lower the volume and switch back to the other ear before thinking to ask for an explanation.

"Sorry," He apologized before she had the chance. "I meant... no, stay away from the Nocturnal District for now."

He sounded distressed, clearly, something was off. Something disastrous certainly happened, she was sure of it.

"Jack?" She said weakly.

She could hear screeching through the phone, the car was turning sharply.

"See if you can take him back to the precinct for a little while, I'll pick him up from there when we're done here."

Still not understanding what was going on, Judy's eyes stayed still on Nick. Though now she had one last stop before home, she wondered how things would turn out with the information he had. Still, she complied. "Alright."

She felt herself sigh and reach for the 'call end' button on her phone, but she stopped herself before she had the chance to press it. She had questions that weighed heavy in her mind, and now that she had him on the phone...

"Hey, Jack, you mind if I ask you a question?" She hastily spoke, hoping that he wouldn't hang up seconds later.

After a pause and a second screech she heard him answer. "Sure, I've got a moment."

Taking a breath of relief, she scratched the back of her head. Her eyes darted around, looking for the words. "H-have you..." Forming the question was harder than she imagined.

She heard a light laughing. "I have many things, but what is it you're asking for?"

His voice was calm and welcoming despite his clear urgency from before. She composed herself and quickly thought of what she was going to ask. From everything she had seen and done in the underground, one question was all she could find.

"Have you ever heard of prey wearing tame collars." Her tone was meek, no more than a whisper. She only saw Nick's ears twitch when she had asked, hoping that he didn't hear it fully.

The question given, she heard another screech of tires, followed by a rocking noise that echoed away from her phone. If she didn't know better, then it sounded like the car hit a bump or two before skidding.

With no response, she cupped the phone to her ear. "Jack?"

This time, there were more voices, shouting as well as Jack's own calm collected one.

"Well, that's a coffee." She heard him reply.

'And a headlight.' A voice, deeper than his and gruff sounding scolded.

'Can it!' It was his voice again, shouting at the other.

'Don't forget the radiator.' Yet another sassed, feminine and closer sounding to the call.

She heard a terrified gasp, followed by a soft padding noise. 'She is gonna kill me.' Jack replied.

Curious as to who these disembodied voices were, Judy thought back to what she knew about Jack's organization and the fact that he said that 'we' have trouble. No doubt appeared in her mind that they were his colleagues.

"Who is-"

On the cusp of asking what he meant, she was cut off by Jack once more. "Judy, how long have you been on the force?"

The question was flat and lifeless as if it were an interrogation or interview. She didn't have to think long as she recalled the proud day she received her badge. "Six years, why?"

Ever so slowly, the car revved up again.

"I'm guessing it's because you've been assigned to the predator species program at your job, that you've never heard of them. So when you were assigned, you were pitted to patrol and detain more predators than prey." He stated it as fact without ever making any inclination or waiver in his tone.

She held her phone, staring forward and dumbfounded at what he said. "The... what?"

He paused again, before sighing. "Tell me, how many prey mammals have you arrested over the years versus predators?"

She actually had to think back for a moment. In her years of service, what was her number for that side again? Mentally doing the math, she came up with one answer.

"Only a few prey," She admitted, thinking of any way to justify her response. "On minor offenses."

She waited for him to respond, but cringed at the scolding tone. "And predators?"

Her eyes fell solely on Nick who continued his stroll, even past others who shared the street with them. They had passed several blocks and the landscape was becoming slightly familiar. The number, so numerous she had one answer. "Hundreds of arrests."

He hummed in agreement. "Then you would have likely, like quite a few other officers, have never had to deal with collared prey on a daily."

That question out of the way made room for yet another pressing matter. "Are there a lot of them? Prey wearing tame collars?"

If Nick hadn't heard her before, he certainly did now as he tilted his head back with a melancholy stare.

"Uh, hold on a sec." Jack replied.

'Hey, what's the ratio for tamed prey in the city?' She heard him ask, likely to the others with him.

'About what, fifty percent?' She heard the gruff voice answer.

She pressed the phone to her ear, her head filled with unfathomable horror. "Fifty percent!"

'No. See, this is why I never trust your math.' Jack retorted.

'...I mean about fifty percent of the predator population.' The deep voice corrected. 'So about...four, five percent of prey total I think was the last demographic.'

'I still don't trust your math.'Jack admitted, she could hear him snicker.

'And you don't have the math skills of a bunny.' The stranger's voice answered him with a huff.

"Yeah, it's about four or five percent of the prey population." She finally heard Jack answer her with assurance in his voice.

'Aww, he trusts you.' The feminine voice called out, uttering groans from them both.

Thought she was thankful that she wasn't blind to the public entirely, it made her feel no better that there were that many prey bound to collars.

Still more questions. "How did that happen? When did that start happening?"

While they still chatted in the background, Jack's voice was clear. "It was that way from the beginning when the clause was made. Or was it from Lucian's revisions?" He started to laugh. "Heh, legend has it that the first mammal to wear a tame collar was a zebra."

Judy couldn't find any reason to think that was funny but did imagine another black stripe for a zebra as redundant.

From this, she scratched her head. "So... anyone can have one?"

She could feel the heaviness in his tone when he huffed. "I see why you're concerned, but trust me when I say that you have to do something serious, or have multiple repeat offenses to get one."

She remembered her few traffic mishaps.

"Some choose it over jail-time." He added.

She nodded in response, recalling how Gazelle's family chose the collar instead of further punishment. Though in hindsight, she couldn't tell what was a worse fate for prey.

Idly, she felt herself scratch her neck. From the time she had seen Gazelle wearing one, she thought to herself about another possibility. "Have you ever seen a rabbit with one?"

"A handful, but they don't show up too often." Jack answered, pausing for a moment before furthering his speech "In fact, most tame prey live in the Nocturnal District than any other."

Taken aback by the fact that her species wasn't immune, she pushed the thought back in favor of the second response. "Why?"

'Because they mostly come out at night.' She heard the sassy voice call out eerily.

She could swear that she heard something being thrown.

"It's because a lot of them don't really like being seen, they find it embarrassing. Some even try to hide their collars or live alone," He assured her before he began chuckling. "So I would say don't do anything drastic because there could very well be a tame collar out there someday with your name on it."

Horror filled her eyes and she almost dropped her phone entirely. Even with his laughing, she felt her blood run cold.

"Jack!" She scolded him.

Yet, his laughter didn't stop. "What? I'm just being honest."

'Yeah, until you have to return this car.' The gruff voice returned and forced him to stop laughing.

'It just needs paint!' He rebutted.

'Good luck explaining that to her.' The sassy voice laughed back at him.

She had to stifle a laugh of her own as she could hear what sounded not only like colleagues, but more so friends berating Jack for his antics.

"Anyway," Jack broke away from their conversation. "Head to the precinct and drop him off, I'll pick him up once were done. We're heading down now."

Given the order, Judy nodded in agreement. "Alright."

She ended the call on her phone as they rounded the corner of the next block. The area, far more familiar than what she had sped through earlier, was now all coming back to her.

A few citizens populated the sidewalks here and there, some heading in her direction and others pacing away. Down the street, she could see her cruiser, sat under a streetlight and parked next to the abandoned house that she thought served as their way down.

She smiled as the sight was welcoming her, though she still couldn't figure out why they didn't take the elevators in the first place. Shrugging the idea off, she placed the phone back in her pocket and trailed just behind Nick.

"So, where to?" He turned to face her with a new forming grin. How much of her conversation he had heard was a complete mystery to her.

She shook her head and fumbled around for her car keys.

"I gotta drop you off to the precinct for a while," She replied, finding the keys and turning to see his grin fade. "Just until Jack gets back."

Whether she said that because of his demeanor, or because it was Jack's command, she couldn't tell. Either way, they approached the car and she heard him laugh.

She turned to him with a quizzical stare, but he shrugged his shoulders "He must be going out for happy hour, they have plenty of bars in the underground."

The thought alone made her smirk. Though she knew it wasn't true, the idea that he and his colleagues would do something to skip out on work, like some of her colleagues did on a daily, brought a smile to her. Jack had a reputation for his work, it wasn't possible for him to be just lackadaisical at his job.

She shook her head at the thought, bringing herself back to the reality that she had to finish her job and go home. Finding her keys she unlocked her car and stepped forward to the rear doors to usher the fox in.

As the door popped open, she heard a high-pitched whistling noise. She gasped as she felt a hot sting in her neck, forcing her to lurch over and cringe at the sensation. Her paw instantly cupped at whatever it was as she turned to see Nick's smile turned mortified. She took a step back in fear, pressing herself against the tire and pulling on the object lodged in the side of her neck. To her dismay and immediate shock, it was a small red and green dart.

'Never trust a fox.' She heard whispered to her.

"Carrots?" Nick called to her in a panic, pacing forward and stopping only a foot away to reach out to her.

She watched in horror as a cloaked figure emerged from behind him, with yet another by their side. The two shadows menacingly stood there, nearing Nick as he reached out. She didn't know who they were, but from the low light shining on them, they appeared... canine.

She felt sluggish and heavy, her vision blurred as she heard Nick yelp. He tried to reach for his neck, but a sudden crack of electricity forced him to the ground. From her sight, she could see he tried to get up, but one of the tall figures stood above him and forced him back down. A shadowed object clutched in their paw fell on him moments later.

"Judy..." She barely heard him call.

'Never!'

She slumped, feeling tired and her sense of hearing started to fade. With one last attempt, reached for her taser, never getting the chance to clutch it as she felt a heavy force crash into the side of her head. She couldn't even move her paw to sooth the soreness she felt.

'Trust!'

Numbed by the pain, and darkness flooding her vision, she attempted to cast one last glance above her to try and see her assailant. It was of no use as her eyes could never leave the ground. Nick was facing her and all she could do was whisper.

'a fox...'

Her vision had faded, her hearing had deafened, and her thoughts... had drifted away.

* * *

* Next time on Zootopia Au: Predation *

It's the mistakes that we make that drive us

Through harsh lessons, we're brought to ourselves

Endure the path that will lead us to the revelation of who we are

"I... I'm not a monster, Judy."

Her whole body went numb. The feeling of fangs at her neck, forcing her to tremble.

"What fancy jewelry they gave you. Huh, Nicholas?"

* * *

"I quietly reached for you, shaking as I tried to tell you. 'I'm trying not to be afraid... to be around you.'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! I feel sorry for the elevator passengers who get stuck...

And so chapter 4 comes to a close, leaving us with one chapter left for Volume 1! I hope you are all enjoying it!

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

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dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

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Till Next Time

-DLW


	22. Cold Snap

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. Thank you to all my readers (5.5k+ views on FF, 1.1k+ on DA and 1k+ on AO3), follows, fav's and reviews and for your feedback it makes writing all the more fun. I apologize in advance for the long chapter, but I couldn't cut it as it's emotionally complex, more at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Five: Endeavor

'Cold Snap'

* * *

"I stand before you and ask. 'When facing our mountain, what is the most important thing to remember?'"

* * *

[Location, date, time Unknown]

He couldn't remember when the last headache he had left him paralyzed and unable to feel even the slightest pain or even see. Then again, not feeling anything was preferable to the constant shocks and dull pains he felt on a daily, so it was a plus... for now.

While still in this state of painless bliss, or at least painless drifting, all he could do was hear faint voices and tell when he was moved to and fro as if being rocked to sleep by some lullaby.

'them?' He heard muttering of some kind, too deep to tell who, and he was far too relaxed to try.

'Search-' He felt himself being rolled, poked, prodded as though he were some kind of reynard rag-doll. He could even be buddies with the fox doll he had seen earlier, matching neckwear and all.

Before he knew it, not that there was much for him to gain knowingly, he was being lifted. Though lifted is a strong word for what he felt. It was more so of a glorified dragging that he felt from what his footpads could still barely feel.

There was a moment where he felt completely weightless, followed closely by a hard press against his senses, gravity had returned to meet his form in full. If that wasn't bad enough, he felt a weight press against him, landing squarely on him and force whatever he had left of a breath out of him.

Shortly after, there was complete silence, just the rocking of bumps and his head being jerked left and right from quick turns and skids. Had he not been so utterly out, he could have certainly asked to be taken to a hospital for a look at potential whiplash from the constant twists and jerks he could feel from the tip of his nose.

Though not particularly enjoying it, not that he could complain, the simple bliss that came with not feeling pain was tolerable, to say the lease. Eventually, however, a loud noise caused his semi-conscious body to shudder. He could feel the ground around him come to a sudden halt, followed by the weight on his chest rolling off him.

'sound-' He heard deafened yelling.

'kill-' Not good, but at least he didn't have to feel pain if it was him. At least the sound was gone.

'caught-' Certainly, though by who?

'route-' He groggily thought shady dealings.

'key-' If it was for his freedom, where could he sign?

'lov-' Uh?

'ten' Thing were making less sense by the second to him.

'collar-' Yes, he had his on. Two, in fact, they were on special.

'drop off-' Yep, definitely a cartel in need of a vet.

'always cold here-' He could hear a little better?

'Doesn't make it eas-' Definitely better, he could vaguely twitch his eye.

'Almost had that one dow-' He peered one eye open, seeing grey just beyond his muzzle.

'Ten-thirty, they'll be-' He could move his head, and his arms felt lighter.

'Good cause we've got anot-' Still could feel a bump behind his ear, though.

Shakily, he forced himself on his elbow. Through the faintest glimpse of sight, he managed to look up. He knew or rather didn't know, that he made an immediate mistake. For just beyond what his vision could allow, a shadowed figure happened to look back.

'He's gettin' up!'

It shouted, forcing the momentum to come to a halt once more. With him too weakened to do much, he tumbled forward muzzle first into a mass of grey. He would have writhed from the dullness in his neck and the force of impact, but he was in no pain whatsoever.

'Dose em. DOSE EM!'

He heard a door open behind him as soon as the other called. Curious to see who or what they were, he cast his head forward. To his dismay or current lack thereof, he could make out the faint outlines of a wolf hovering above him with something clutched in their paw.

He couldn't react, but barely felt the pinprick of pain in his neck. It wasn't half bad, at least his collar didn't shock him, or did it? He couldn't tell either way. As he felt himself slowly slip back down, he saw the faintest sliver of grey before he shut his eyes. Just in front of his muzzle, was a sleeping grey rabbit.

'carrots...' He whispered and drifted off to sleep.

'carrots...' He mumbled over and over again, never questioning why he even called to the rabbit in the first place.

'Beep.' He heard.

What was the point? What was the purpose? Did he pity her? Why would he? Why did he even care? Was it because she listened to him? Because of his creed?

'Beep.' The sound came again.

He didn't know how long he continued this, calling her and questioning himself, whether in his mind or embedded tastelessly in his tongue. All he knew, was that he couldn't shake the rabbit out of his thoughts.

'Beep.' His ear twitched.

Though she didn't leave his mind, he did begin to feel something. A tight grip around his chest and stomach, dull and suffocating. He felt as if he were floating, rocking, drifting away. Still, above any of this, he felt... cold. Cold enough to force his breath to chill with every intake, cold enough to make him shiver. He could shiver again?

Yet, even as the bitter cold nipped at his front and made him shake lightly, he felt a warmth at his back. He smiled a little, groggily and still trying to figure things out. If it weren't for the small warm sensation at his spine, he could swear that he would freeze to death eventually. It was soft, comfortable, relaxing... moving?

'Mmmnnn.' He groaned, forcing himself out of his daze and back into a semi-conscious state.

It took him a moment to willfully open his eyes to even a squint, but as he did so he saw a faint hue of red surrounding him. Not that he himself wasn't already red enough, but the whole area, emanated with the menacing color.

His eyes shot open after, fully immersing him in the situation he was in with horrid realization. Though he didn't know what to think to begin with as to where he was, it soon dawned on him that he was indeed alive from the sheer fact that it was cold, or so he hoped.

"W-where?" Was the first thing he managed to wheeze, breath still cold and eyes adjusting to his new surroundings. He weakly scanned around him, surprised at the near barrenness of the room he was currently in.

Concrete walls with a matching floor, worn barrels and glass jars near one side of a room and a grimy looking machine adorning another. Cooling vents and red overhead lights huddled together on the ceiling in a display that rivaled modern art in its obscurity. A large metal door to the far side of the room seemed to be the only exit.

Grateful that there was an exit, he took to look after himself. He breathed deeply, gaining a chilling feeling in his lungs as well as a strong scent of freezer-burn and saltwater. Strangely familiar with the scent, he associated it with fish, but there was something else there, something... closer.

He looked down to his chest where he felt pressure being applied to him to see several coils of chain crisscrossing his form in each layer. He raised a brow and followed the chain, moving a paw to find that it indeed went around him completely. Unaware of where it lead to, he looked up to find that its end was suspended from a vent in the ceiling; it made sense now that floating feeling he had, his toes couldn't feel solid ground at all.

It was then that he was rethinking the whole 'being alive' part that made this situation good. He shook his head, he had to find a way out of this.

"Hello, anyone?" He called out, shaking his chains and feeling their cold sting restrict him.

He hadn't accounted for how he would even attempt to contact someone that wasn't there, but it didn't hurt to try. Even an empty reply was better than what he had silently hoped would be a swift end.

'mmm'

Then again, maybe it wasn't so empty.

His ears perked up at the sound just behind him, the one place he didn't truly look for an answer. The warmth at his back called for him to awkwardly crane his head to see a mass of familiar grey chained with him.

"Carrots?" He called out, surprised that she was there this whole time.

While not responding at first, he could hear her faint draw of breath and puffs of cold air with each exhale. He huffed as well, figuring that if they were tied together, then someone must want them for something. Nothing he could think of was good.

On the verge of panic, he chose to wiggle and flail against the chains in an attempt to free himself. At first, it seemed futile, only feeling the bind tighten on him, but he didn't stop. Eventually, he felt it looses a little, then a little more, until finally the chain gave way... but not how he had imagined.

It started with him dropping a foot or so and the rabbit doing the same. It turned into him being held up dangerously by one wrist and feeling the cold metal grasp at him, forcing him to hiss at its unwillingness to let him free. He looked at the chain with hatred, finding that it was different from the others, a cuff attached and winding around others. At its end was the rabbit who was now dangling dangerously as she was upside down.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, finding that she, in fact, wasn't speaking.

A sense of worry filled Nick's mind. With her unconscious and blood now rushing to her head in the cold, it wouldn't take long for her to potentially suffer longterm from this. Again, he resumed his struggle of unraveling the chain and careful not to jostle her too much. It was difficult as they were still midair, but he hoisted himself up and peeled off the freezing chain layer by layer until gravity finally freed them both.

He was the first to come crashing down, square on his back at that. The chain noisily fell along with him, narrowly avoiding crushing him altogether. Lastly, he heard nothing more than a squeak from the rabbit who had landed on the cold unfeeling metal.

Whoever tied them up, didn't do such a great job if he was able to free himself. He even had his coat with him as a potential oversight, or just laziness. He couldn't feel or find his glasses though.

He huffed for a moment of relief, feeling the bump on his head and the cold sting that he drew with each breath. His left paw chained to her right, he stood, dragging her away a little as the cuffs weren't too long.

He swallowed hard as he placed his digits to the side of her neck, and while still slow and hard to tell, he could feel the rhythmic beating he had hoped for.

"Still has a pulse." He said, relieved to some fashion as the fact that they were still chained dawned on him.

With her unconscious, he thought about their course of action. "First thing's first, cut the chain."

Agreeing with himself, he picked the rabbit up carefully as to not cause her further harm. Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the door. Cold nipping at his toes and feeling it get significantly colder since their escape, he hurried forward. Once there, he cradled her close to him in one arm and fumbled the slightly higher door handle with the other.

"Locked..." He mumbled, not knowing what he had expected to happen to make his life easier.

He shook his head at the lost opportunity, if he wasn't going to get out anytime soon, then he'd have to at least get them loose. He frantically looked around the room, from the barrels to the machine and soon an idea formed in his mind.

He raced towards the menacing contraption, fully intent to see what it was and if it had something to cut their bonds. Upon reaching and inspecting it, he found that it was a kind of processing machine, built with blades and grinding tools to get its job done.

Smiling at this, he looked carefully for a way to cut it on and effectively cut their chain. He knew that the grinder at the end wouldn't do, but maybe the blade would.

Clutching Judy in his arms, he found the button he was looking for near its face. He switched the machine on, causing it to roar to life and resume its daily job of attempting to process whatever lay on its conveyor.

With it running at full force, the machine went to work. Its momentum was steady, blade pacing up and down and screeching as it found nothing to sink deep into, belt humming and carrying what would be processed through its final moments, and the grinder would ensure that nothing would survive.

Nick was having second thoughts about this now. Sure if it was just him, he'd maybe attempt to defy his instinct to survive and cut the chain then and there, but with an unconscious rabbit in tow, it was a bit dangerous.

Still hanging onto her, he felt her move a little as if to protest her thoughts about it. How he would even get her positioned on the conveyor without being cleaved by the blade or falling into the grinder was a whole other thing entire.

Frustrated, he sighed at the sight and thought to himself. There had to be some way to not endanger the both of them, he wasn't foolish enough to try that, he wasn't heartless either. He had to find something to cut their chain, but nothing he could think of would suffice.

While he yet thought, the rabbit shifted in his arms more and more. Startled at the sudden movement, he tore his gaze downward to see her begin to open her eyes. She breathed deeply, groaning from exhaustion and pain. He, however, chuckled at the fact that she was waking up.

"Oh good, you're awake." He announced, startling her and hearing her gasp.

Her eyes fixed on him, now fully open and staring in horror. She didn't know what to think aside from how cold it was, how noisy the room was, how dark and red her vision was. The overload of her senses came to her in a moment when she felt a sharp pain in her head. She cringed at the sensation, trying to recount the plethora of things that happened.

She remembered that she was on her way to her car with Nick, then she felt pain when he was behind her. There were shadows... and then there was him in front of her. Piecing all of this together was causing a headache, to say the least, and the noise didn't help.

She turned her head to inspect it and her countenance dropped at what she saw. A machine in the red light, menacingly inviting her to its inner workings. A blade flashing and screaming at her without care as to how close they were. Her breath hiked from the sudden realization of what was going on, and Nick was holding her towards it.

"You may have a concussion," She heard him say, forcing her to look his way in terror. "So I suggest-"

He would never get to finish his sentence as he felt the rabbits strong feet collide with his chin. Thankfully he had his tongue inside his mouth or else he would have definitely been seeking medical aid from the impact.

The instant Judy kicked him, several things happened. Firstly, Nick fell back, twisting and landing on his stomach; taking her with him. Secondly, Nick's collar set off and shocked him, with her receiving a jolt of her own medicine. Thirdly and lastly, Judy scrambled to get on his back and hold one of his arms behind him, wary of stray claws.

Still breathing heavy and feeling the shock that came with her preemptive attack, Judy stared daggers at the downed fox.

"You-"

He barely managed to open his eyes, coughing as the force of the shock left him winded.

"You were trying to kill me!" The doe shouted, clutching his arm for dear life.

Though Nick was tall, she was definitely the stronger of the two. Years of police work and exercise had forced her to know how to pin her target with precision, he wasn't going anywhere without her say-so.

He, however, instead of struggling, tried to breathe and calm them both down.

"I was just-"

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!" Her voice echoed throughout the room and straight to his ears, cutting off his protest. It carried a deep hurt to them both, though neither could see the single bead forming in her eye. "You're just like every other pred in this city!"

Nick didn't know what to say, he could barely register what was said. Had she not remembered what they went through? Was her concussion speaking to her? Or... was she just pretending to care from before.

Gasping for a breath, he responded. "I know you're upset, but would you just-"

He felt his arm move, painfully cutting him off from any further form of speaking. He heard the beep of his collar warn him, but Judy refused to relent. Defeated, he sat in silence.

During this time, he felt the rabbit shift several times on his back. He heard her pad through her coat, looking for something but coming up empty pawed. He could swear he heard growling.

"Where's my gear?!" She shouted, her grip on him becoming tighter.

Nick hadn't even thought of that. He didn't think of the key on her, but just to get them out of there. Thought the question arose, what else was she missing?

"I... don't know." He barely squeezed the words out.

"LIAR!" Her grip increased with the tone of her voice. Even the sound of the machine was no match for her.

Nick couldn't respond, the rabbit he had met back at the prison was back. The one that refused to listen to even the slightest detail.

"You stole it, and cuffed me," She accused, shaking the cuff to press her point. "You did this!"

He thought quickly on how to correct her, but nothing seemed to work. Though... maybe a showing her that she was right-

He began to chuckle, feeling the atop him shudder. "You got me, I did this," He admitted, lying through his teeth. "Obviously."

His words seemed to sting Judy to her core, she didn't move or flinch. However, as he felt she was about to say something to stake her claim to the argument, he resumed his.

"I drugged us, knocked us out, drove us to... wherever this is," His words mocking and his tone saturated with sarcasm. "Took your gear, tossed it, locked us in here, cuffed us, and chained us together from the ceiling."

For a moment, nothing was said between the two as the machine hummed. He felt the rabbit lessen her grip and breathe deeply, something he had been waiting for.

"You figured it out, Carrots," He approved before looking up. "Good detective work."

He took the opportunity to roll to his side, forcing Judy off of him and allowing him a chance to at least sit up on his elbows. With the rabbit rolling to the floor, he had a good chance to look at her. She seemed a little calmer than before, but definitely still upset and angry.

Her ears stood up, her brow furrowed. He could see her nose twitch every few seconds as she never took her eyes off of him. The only common ground between them was the icy mist of breath that showed with every exhale.

"Then where are we, and why are we chained?" She asked, her tone nothing but accusatory.

Nick felt his ears drop. Despite having the rabbit back, for better or worse, he still had no clue as to where they were. "I don't know, I was just trying to solve that myself."

Judy sighed, forcing icy mist away from her and gathering her thoughts. She rubbed her head a little, feeling the sting from earlier. When? She didn't know, but it was there now and she was more than upset at the turn of events.

She surveyed the room, from the screeching contraption, to the far door. The only problems were that it was cold, she had no gear or way to contact anyone, and most of all, the fox was there with her in a darkened room.

With a quick breath, she stood up, feeling achy from her ordeals. "Let's go..."

She began to walk towards the door only to feel her chain pull and stop without warning. Her head craned back instantly, and her eyes narrowed at the fox.

"Can't," He shrugged and pointed ahead of her. "Door's locked."

For a moment's hesitation, she forgot that he was behind her. Not that it would matter much as they were chained, but nevertheless, it disturbed her at how calm he seemed.

Her eyes narrowed at the door and him, but soon enough she sighed and looked around the room more. Not before hearing him rise to his feet and walk closer. With every step he took forward, she knew she took a step back.

Nick, not a fool of a fox, caught onto this. "Okay, what's your problem?"

He stopped moving forward, waiting to hear her response. There was something deeply wrong and he had to know.

The walls appeared to close in on her as his question came by. It wasn't as simple of a question as she thought as her mind raced over everything that she just experienced. "I was attacked, thrown in a freezer and had my gear stolen."

Her list given, Nick nodded with each word. Though he silently knew it was all a front for something deeper seated than that, her actions spoke volumes higher than her coverup.

Crossing his arms, he dared a step forward, netting him the same response from Judy from before. He knew what was wrong.

His advance stopped, he looked her in the eye. "No I mean really, what's your problem," His arms fell to the side, his cuffed paw waving towards her. "Why are you still afraid of me?"

Judy couldn't tell whether her blood ran hotter or colder. He was accusing her of something he didn't understand about her. He had, in two sentences, questioned her state of mind and renounced his status according to the law.

"Have you..." Her ears focused intently on him as she formulated the words for 'criminal' and 'currently'.

"Forgotten that you're on parole?" She didn't take her eyes off of him as she tried to explain her reason for caution and his reason for imprisonment.

"And that still makes you a predator?"

A small gasp elicited from them both. She had the word 'criminal' on the tip of her tongue. She imagined that she said 'criminal' to end her sentence. She did say 'criminal'... right?

The ruddy fox's mouth hung wide when he heard this. He finally understood what the nature of her problem was, the foundation of it all. He hung his head low and looked at his chained paw.

"Yeah," He began, voice monotone and decisive. "Like I could be anything else than what I was born as."

She didn't mean to say that. "I-"

"I don't know, what your problem is with predators, but," Nick continued, cutting her off and looking her straight in the eye. "I... I'm not a monster, Judy."

She could hear a rattle in his voice. It was soft, pained, and resounded of grief and misery. It took her a moment to look at him, she noticed his ears were to the side of his head.

"You think I didn't hear... what you said about the park?" She felt the chain rattle, his paw clenched and his breathing slow and even. "A cesspool... for lawbreaking preds?"

His voice creaked from the last words, but she clutched her paw. She wasn't about to let him have the last say in what she experienced back then.

"Y-you... you attacked me!" She pointed at him with her chained paw, gritting her teeth and narrowly eyeing him.

Nick huffed and threw up his paws, forgetting that they were cuffed together and dragging her forward. "I don't even remember most of that day, fluff!"

Being drawn closer to him, her eyes shot open. She forced herself back before she was too close to fight back. Still, his words made her angrier.

"Don't call me fluff, fox!" She rebutted.

Stopping her advance, she composed herself. She made it so that she could stand her ground if her so much as inched forward.

"And how could you not remember?" Her question forced him to raise his brow. "I walked in to have you nearly at my neck, and clawing at me."

Her arms crossed, and one paw on the chain, she waited for an answer. Sure enough, Nick shook his head.

"Before today, I only remember seeing you three times," He looked her in the eye and held up his paw. "When you gave me that ticket, for an accident I didn't cause."

"Traffic cams don't lie." She replied.

He felt himself become frustrated, his collar beeped when he resumed counting. "When you accused me for shady dealings at the clinic."

"That was justified." She recalled.

Again her answer was ineffectual fact. "And when you nearly gunned me down, defenseless, and in the rain."

She tapped her foot and eyed him as though he were crazed. "You weren't defenseless."

Nick returned the look with one of his own. "You really think I could have attacked you so easily while being shocked half to death in the rain?"

She placed her free paw on her hip. Surely he didn't say that.

"Like you didn't try to bite me." Her tone seethed with anger.

Nick, however, felt a lot calmer when she said that. Surely she truly didn't know anything about him.

"No, I didn't," He answered with a smug grin. "You'd taste terrible," He leaned in, forcing her to shift back. "Besides I'm a vegetarian."

Had she never known a predator before, she may have fallen for it. She wasn't a fool, she knew what a fox's diet mainly consisted of; various bugs, and mostly meat.

"And I'm supposed to believe you?" She asked sarcastically.

Nick nodded in agreement.

"Oh yes, I very much am," He stated as pure fact. "In fact I-"

"You weren't very vegetarian when you tried to bite me in your office." Her voice boasted above his. Condescending it in every sense of the word and seeing to its invalidity.

Nick paused, he didn't know how best to approach the statement from what he remembered. Still, he had to try something.

With his head cast towards the ceiling, he spoke. "Look, I remember getting into my office because someone wanted to see me."

His memory hazy, he let his head fall so he could scratch his ears. "By the time I closed the door, I..."

He froze, barely anything was there. "I remember a wolf..." He cringed, feeling the blurry past catch up to him. "And then I woke up in a jail cell and was told I had an altercation with an officer."

Judy stood still, only tapping her foot to pass the time. He was lying, and she knew it.

"None of that is in your confession." She avowed.

Nick felt himself quiver with anger. This was the same rabbit he helped moments ago. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was wondering if it was all worth it to not have tried to cut the chain.

"Yeah, but my so-called 'prison fight' is?" He asked in air quotes.

Never flinching, Judy responded. "Yeah, and I'm starting to see why."

The machine rattling in the background did nothing to silence his collar warning him.

"I didn't get into a fight," He defended, seeing no change in stance from the bunny. "I tried to stop one."

She eyed him in a manner that told him she had no intent to believe it to be true. He grit his teeth as she tapped her toes.

"You know what, don't believe me. I don't care if you don't." He reasoned. "Those prison guards are the reason of why I'm on pain meds." Taking a moment to catch his breath, he thought and placed his right paw on his temple. "Which you don't have anymore, I'm guessing."

Eyes narrow, she recalled that she had nothing left on her and shook her head. Immediately, she tried to turn the situation in her favor. "And the list?"

It was Nick's turn to fumble around for something he had or didn't have. He felt only a smushed pastry in his coat pocket, and the ring hidden deeper down in another. Empty-pawed, he shook his head as well.

Judy huffed, knowing that they were back to zero. "Besides, that's not possible," She denied his statement, brushing off the fact that even his pain medication was stolen. "They wouldn't attack a prisoner for no reason."

After her statement, there was an uncomfortable silence that lingered in the air. Neither of their ears moved in the direction of the machine, and neither felt cold from their anger and heated argument.

Soon, however, Nick was the first to move. He bared his teeth, clenched his paw and stared the rabbit in the eye. "Do you even hear yourself talk?!"

His voice deep and weighted with intense fury, a flash of yellow brightened the room.

"That me, a predator..." He pointed at himself. "A fox," His paws gripped at his chest. "Wouldn't be hated by them?"

She couldn't believe what she was hearing, it had to stop. "The law preven-"

"The law... The Law... THE LAW! What about the law?" Nick's shouting never gave her that chance. "That it's supposed to protect everyone?!"

He did, however, give her a minor jolt that stemmed off of the greater shock that he received. He lurched over from the pain, and Judy hissed at the static like shock that clung to her wrist.

Both sat there for a moment, gathering themselves from the shock. Nick more so as he had to pant heavily to catch his breath, but it didn't stop him from gasping out what he needed to say.

"M-my dad ... was 'lawfully' imprisoned... unfairly because of a mistake that I made when I was twelve, and I never saw him again."

He didn't care if she was watching as he tried to stand, he didn't even care if she believed him or not. So much weighed on his mind, and she seemed to be drawing it out of him.

"I've watched my friends suffer and die because of what the law says." He said somberly.

Standing, he looked her in the eyes again; his own faintly blurry.

"On top of that, we've all tried to fight it. We've all tried to find some way to get these things off secretly" His paw found its place atop the set of deadly devices. "But guess what, you still can't legally take your collar off anytime you want."

In a moment, Judy grit her teeth and waved her paw towards him in rage. "Because you pred's are dangerous."

Though she said this, a second voice echoed with hers almost on point. For the sentence was shared, and Nick had mimicked her as much as a fox could.

"Yeah, heard that before," He held up his paw towards her in a way that looked like he were offering something. "Yet, I'm not the coward walking around and aiming my weapon at everyone that I'm afraid of!"

Judy didn't say a word. Her breathing hiked, and she felt the cold stinging her. Try as she might to deny it, she remembered what Jack had told her.

"By your logic, every 'predatory citizen' is dangerous," Nick added, waving his right arm in the air. "But what's this? You didn't aim your weapon at Gazelle or run away in terror from her when she said she was more dangerous than her brothers?"

He heard a muffled gasp and crossed his arms. "That's hypocritical."

Judy trembled in anger from his misguided accusation. Sure she was afraid from time to time, but throwing a prey mammal in the mix was unjustified.

"She's, PREY!" She shouted her claim to correct the fox. "You can't put them in the same category, tame collar or not. She's not the one bearing claws and fangs."

Nick sneered at her comment. "Yeah? Well, that'd make Clawhouser only half a pred then," He pointed at her and narrowed his eyes. "He doesn't even have claws anymore because of suggestions by bigoted prey, LIKE YOU!"

Again, neither paid attention to the yellow light that soon turned red until it was too late. For the third time, the two had received equal amounts of shock and were left to nurse their pains in a manner that suited them.

Judy, would recover and answer first. "B-bigoted...Prey like me?!"

The tingle in her arm felt stronger than the last.

"Y-yeah," Nick wheezed, trying to find the strength to stand. "T-the ones that... fear predators for no reason."

Able to catch his breath, Nick continued. "Y-you think we're the scariest thing ever, right?"

Judy couldn't respond. She never had the words to answer truthfully.

Nick huffed and, knowing it was true "You ever try a glass of water against a pred? Works every time, Carrots!"

He saw no shift or change in her stance, but his own voice began to falter. "I've watched pred kids cry themselves to seizures when they wear these things."

Judy saw the opportunity to justify her stance, she had to at least try. "The law mandates that predators, twelve years of age, need to-"

Nick snapped back. "There you go, law aga-... Twelve?" He leaned forward, not sure if he heard her correctly.

Judy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like Cinnamon."

Nick could only blink. "She's nine, fluff. She's had her collar on before she started elementary school."

Judy's paw fell from her hip to her side. "That can't be right."

Nick rubbed his temple, if his headache wasn't going to end him, then this rabbit just might.

"I know it is because I had to put her collar on her," He added, pointing to his own set of collars. "When she was five!"

The yellow light appeared, warning him again. Judy, however, looked on in silence.

He hung his head as he recalled his tale. "Salt trusted me as the only vet to do it because I gave her time to take it off every day they visited."

She had no response, her memory of the small possum was clear as day. He hadn't lied about Salt being mute or Cinnamon being his interpreter.

"You don't know what it's like," Nick continued somberly, his voice rigid and tempo slow. "Not even a lot of tamed prey know what being born predatory is like."

He clutched the tame collars in his quivering paws. "You weren't born in an undignified cage like a predator! You don't know half of what your precious 'Predation Clause' even does to us!"

An immediate shock brought him out of his anger and to the floor once more. Judy grunted and held her arm closer, this wasn't going well.

Gasping for air, Nick felt himself weaken. So many shocks had drained him, the floor was comfortable to rest on for now.

"Most hospitals... they don't even allow preds to take them off for small procedures anymore," He refused to stop his momentum, Judy or no. "Blood draws, some scans, physicals, and shots... you just suck it up and hope they have steady paws."

He heard no response from her but managed to rise to his knees and look the horrified rabbit in the eye. He started to open his mouth to say something more, but couldn't look at her as he said it. "Half of us are born prematurely."

He heard the chain rattle uncomfortably but didn't bother to look at her. He settled for staring at the machine instead.

"This city, just like you," He sighed, finally turning to face her. "Hates predators."

The lackluster look in her eye was a dead giveaway along with her ears dropping. It was the nail in the coffin, he had figured out her weakness. That didn't mean that he was done.

"And foxes... nobody wants a fox." His voice wavered when he said this, his tail went rigid from the mention. "We're the worst, nearly every prey mammal hates us," He motioned his head at Judy. "A lot of predators hate us," Then he pointed at himself, on the verge of yelling as though there were a mirror there instead. "We even hate each other most of the time."

The warning came, and he shut his eyes. "We're seen as untrustworthy, shifty, evil, filthy..."

His paws went slack against him, his tail fell without question. "We don't have great paying jobs or the same educational opportunities," The memory swelling inside, his ears fell with his head. "We can't get loans, but can always pile on debt."

Judy thought hard. She couldn't get over on the fox now, but how could he say that about his species?

"You, a fox, were one of the richest... predators in the city to have owned anything," She rebutted, her voice soft. "And you're telling me you weren't well to do?"

Nick looked at her from the corner of his eye. "That money allowed me to run the clinic for free and help other predators like Honey, Salt, and whoever needed more treatment than I could provide."

His vision narrowed, his fangs flashed. "But these things..."

His paw trembled as it tried to grasp for his collars, but hovered inches away.

"It's hard to sleep, it's difficult to eat," He muttered. "You worry when your next dose of 'equal citizenship' is going to come by."

Judy shivered from either the cold or what he had said. In her mind, she could see Gazelle's shock playing over and over again.

"We die, everyday," His tone trembled. "From drowning, choking, convulsing, labor... fear."

Her thoughts traced back to Jack telling her about the prey population that wore them the 'predatory' ones.

"Having to wear this... this curse." He wheezed, feeling a stray bead form in the corner of his eye. "You're likely to die from heart issues, burns, or asphyxiation than anything else."

Judy's breath slowed from the mention of the 'curse'. From everything she thought she knew, to what she learned earlier, she was wrong.

"And to top it all off," Nick stared her down, trembling as he watched her shake as well. "prey like you... don't care."

As he said this, a screeching noise emitted itself from his collars. It was the same as before when he had hit the six-hour mark. It buzzed on and on for a solid minute before vanishing altogether.

The two, having been close together both writhed from the sharp noise and equally felt the agonizing noise at their core. Sensitive ears and proximity were not their friends, but thankfully, it was over soon enough.

Taking deep frozen breaths, Nick had a blank expression on his face when he rose to his feet. Panic consumed him as he thought of what to do.

"What time is it?" He asked Judy hurriedly.

She rubbed her ears and shrugged. No phone, or contact, she had no clue. She did, however, share the expression with Nick when she knew what he was talking about.

"We have to get out of here." Nick shuddered, feeling the room get smaller and smaller. "Where's the key that buffalo gave you?"

Again, Judy shook her head. No gear meant no key, and no key meant-

"We have to get out of here." Nick reiterated, taking no chances and pacing to the door.

He felt the chain tug against him, but pressed forward. He didn't pay any attention to his warning beep, he was too focused on escaping.

"Would you calm down?" Judy spoke to him, gripping the chain and holding tightly.

If the door was locked, then what could they truly do to escape? She had to find another-

"Calm... CALM! This is my life on a timer, fluff." Without warning Nick turned to face her, shouting and dragging more on the chain. "The same life I signed away to help, YOU!

His panicked tone and posture gave way to another shock. He felt it in full, sending him to the floor and the rabbit soon after.

He barely even tried to calm himself this time, instead he grasped for the door in an attempt to free himself. Judy, though fallen, could feel his desperation.

"What if there's only an hour left..." He asked, eyes never leaving the door. "I need that key!"

He continued his act of dragging the rabbit with him, who complied by hopping just behind him. With his ensuing panic, he finally reached the door and furiously grabbed at the handle.

"We need to get out!" He called out again, focused intently and twisting the handle to no avail.

He tried scratching it without even thinking just before he heard his collar beep again. Now even more anxious, his baser instinct took over and he, for the first time that he could remember, tried biting at it.

Judy watched in despair as this fox tried everything he could to escape. His fang bared and nipping at the object, his mind gone, she took a step back as she felt fear grip her heart.

Inevitably, his panic caused him to be shocked to a higher degree. He felt his teeth sink into the door before he fell, wishing that he could only get it open before it was too late.

He somehow fell to the side of the door, his back pressed against the wall as he felt the sharp sting at his neck. He could taste hot iron and his stomach churned from the surreal pain.

This shock he felt lasted for a second, far longer than he had experienced before, but something else happened in the midst of it. A strange noise roared from his neck, a buzzing and clicking sound that told him it was about to get worse. It was what he had feared.

Judy, still clutching at her arm, squinted and watched as the fox sat still. He huddled in on himself, eyes glimmering in the faint red light. The noise persisted the whole time, wretched and unfeeling. She could see him shudder and hear him cough.

"I-I'm gonna die..." He wheezed, clutching his tail and staring blankly past her. "I'm gonna die in a freezer."

It wasn't what Judy was expecting to hear. She had never seen him tremble like this, yet, the sound continued louder and louder still.

His ears pinned back, his eyes widened, his breathing on the verge of spiking. "I-i'll never get to see my mom again."

There was a small pained sound that came from him, a high pitched and unhindered cry. For the fox, was whimpering.

Judy... froze.

Nothing prepared her for that. Not his speech about predators, not her training. Her years of arrests and what she had come to know about foxes, all of them failed to tell her how to approach this situation.

Her ears felt numb, even the missing piece didn't bother her as much now. Still stuck with the noise and the fox, Judy felt herself move.

The voice came to her again and again 'Never trust a fox.', but she didn't bother to hear it.

"Listen." She approached Nick carefully, watching him stare in horror and shiver on the cold floor.

He didn't move.

"Come on." Her shoulders went slack, she reached his side.

The noise got louder, yet she placed a paw on his shoulder. Her mind told her to stop, her thoughts screamed at her, everything she knew demanded her to run.

"Nick?" She called him, seeing the glimmer of green in his eye and hearing his breathing calm.

"We're going to get out of this," She assured him, and herself. "Alright?"

His breathing slowed down to a much more even pace. He just stared at her, unsure of what to say. Was there anything left for him to say with that infernal noise that... died down.

She heard it too, but why wasn't she running? Why didn't she step back?

"If there's more time, then stay calm and don't shock yourself anymore." She informed him, remembering the second nature of the kill collar that Jack told her about.

Slowly, he nodded, hearing less and less of the noise. It took a minute or so, but it died out completely, leaving them with the still noisy machine and the sheer cold of the room.

Not hearing the noise anymore, Judy sighed and scratched her head. If she was going to get them out of there, then she need a plan. She scanned the darkened room once more, but a sudden clicking sound diverted her attention.

Her ears honed in on the sound before her whole head turned to the door, Nick followed suit as well, craning his head up and staring in wonder.

Sure enough, the door creaked open, ushering in faint blue light to mix with the red room. As cold as it was inside, a rush of cold air blew in, carrying flakes of snow inside with them. Both dumbfounded at their luck, Nick braced himself against the wall and stood up with Judy standing beside him.

Thought, their luck soon soured as a figure soon entered; taller than them with smoothed grey fur and a trench-coat that made them more imposing, a wolf stood and surveyed the area. His eyes drifted until they caught sight of them. He clutched something in his paw that he quickly brought to his muzzle.

"Uh, boss?" The wolf spoke into the phone. "We have intruders here in the Borscht room."

The two looked at each other, knowing that this might not be the best place to be.

"A bunny and a fox," The wolf continued. "What should we do with them?"

There was a dead silence for all of them until the wolf turned to look behind him.

"I say we eat em'." Another voice called from beyond the doors threshold.

The thought alone made Judy cringe. She immediately took a defensive stance. Weapon or no, she wasn't going down without a struggle.

The grey wolf shook their head and sighed. "This is why you're required to be in therapy."

Though not sure as to what was going on, the two watched in silence.

"Alright, we'll handle it." The wolf spoke into the phone before putting it away.

He then turned to Judy and Nick before waving them forward. "You two, come with us."

They stood there for a moment, neither trying to move at all. Should they stay, it would be the end, and if they went, it was into the unknown. Shaking her head, Judy took a step forward, she'd plan for their escape once out of the room, and Nick followed behind.

With no option in their favor, Nick knew where they were now, and Judy could surmise from the weather; they had somehow made it to Tundra Town.

* * *

"Facing the treacherous path I answer 'To be honest with yourself, even if your fears hold you!'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! Honestly, this chapter was gonna be named 'Frozen Heart' (cause I play league like a bosted animal [Support Morgana 4ever!])

But with this emotional rollercoaster of a chapter, I hope you've enjoyed it, cause there's more to come.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon. If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Till Next Time

-DLW


	23. As the Driven Snow

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. Thank you to all my readers, follows, fav's and reviews and for your feedback it makes writing all the more fun. And time for a little action in the story, more to come and more at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

A few responses to reviews

J Shute Norway: I have an addiction to environment building, it just happens and I'm glad you're enjoying it.

Combat Engineer: I know right? but there's a good reason for it.

Niori: Oh I think she'll listen... eventually... hopefully... maybe?

KhaosKyuubi: Glad you're liking it, and Kill Collars are horrible. It's like insult to injury with an electric socket.

Guest: I hope the pacing's better as I'm trying to finish this arc before to long with a story to back Predation XD (on my profile)

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Five: Endeavor

'As the Driven Snow'

* * *

"I stand before you and ask. 'When facing our mountain, what is the most important thing to remember?'"

* * *

Judy's mind raced with renewed imaginations of their captors, each one more cruel an unprecedented then the last. From one wolf suggesting what she had surmised was Nick's plan, to the other calm and potentially calculating their inevitable demise. She trudged forward, feet embracing the cold towards the outside and the unknown.

She walked just ahead of Nick out of the darkened room and into the blinding light with a paw held high to shield her vision. Wispy powdered flakes of the winter-lands decadently drifted upon them, but she never took her narrowed eyes off of the grey wolf as they reached the threshold of the door. He stood tall, facing away from them both and marched forward as if mechanically guiding them to their fate.

Rounding the corner to the near endless blanket of orangish-white, her eyes fell upon a similar canid to the one that dared to order them. Brown fur mingled with specks of light grey and deep blue eyes, she had no doubt that this wolf carried the voice that threatened them moments ago. He stared at her menacingly, crumpling his nose and flashing his fangs to emit an intimidating snarl. Had she not been so upset, she may have tried to at least take a step back as a precaution.

The pathway he stood on was lightly frosted by falling snow. Though it had seemingly been cleared earlier as it was dug out, it would be an effort in futility to keep it fully untouched by snowfall as the district's winter never came short of perpetual. She could see various tracks leading towards them, likely from the pair of wolves, sunk into the ground with ease. Either side of the path had been piled high with mounds and hills of snow, barely shown to have been touched, but glimmered graciously in the early morning light.

Further down the path was a large and welcoming building. Though oddly steeped in shape, from the glow of light that cradled its form and open windows nestled in deep rolls of snow-like floors, it felt as though it should be on display as a work of art in a museum and not simply a towering structure to the greying heavens above.

Billowing stacks of smoke rose from its many chimneys to show all present that it was surely warmer inside despite the harsh necessities of their environment. For it was always truly winter in Tundra Town, and no matter the mammal, they were all truly at the mercy of nature.

Her footsteps made their pace known, willing to move forward yet cautious to give her even a moments notice to plan an escape. From her earlier check that produced nothing on her person save for her badge, she couldn't think of a worse situation to have been in other than long gone. It was a start at least, the possibility that her police work could somehow egress them from the situation was slim; though the chance of it being exacerbated was equally present still.

Focused ahead and feet lightly treading and crunching the snow, she watched the grey wolf reach out his paw to the other to drag the unwilling wolf in the right direction. Thankful to some point that he kept moving forward, she had too much to think about for anyone to stare and distract her for long.

Though not at ease, she huffed to relieve her latent stress and rally her mind for what lay ahead. The rattle of her chained paw helped sooth her if only for the much-needed rhythm that it brought. She slowly found her pace matching that, but far more, slowing down as to let herself shuffle alongside the fox for reasons she couldn't describe.

They had only been out of the room for a moment when she heard the hum of the machine die down, its deafening noise replaced by another far more somber tone. She tilted her head to see the fox, freshly powered snow beginning to adorn his features from ear to tail. His breath, like hers, pooled in cloudy mist as his nostrils flared.

She watched him carefully, his eyes never meeting hers yet permanently fixed to where he was walking. From the small glimmer of his emerald eyes reflecting off the glowing snow, she could tell he was deep in thought; even his muzzle had curled from the jubilant fox that she had seen at the diner, to a despondent shadow of what she had seen him as, cowering in a corner. He was lifeless, mellow... broken.

Judy's unconscious thought, that voice that warned her had vanished with what she had witnessed earlier. With what she had experienced first hand both literally and metaphorically, it was a difficult thing to comprehend. She had never even heard such a sound from a predator, more so a fox. Such a weakness as she thought they were incapable of, it wasn't in their nature. Yet there Nick walked silently, sulking.

It was as if everything she knew, or perhaps _had come to know_ , had been silenced within the confines of his outcry. Her paws swayed themselves while she looked deeper towards him, not judging him or hoping to now, but simply watching.

' _Foxes are red, because they were made by the devil_!'

The remnants of that voice still lingered, instilled in her heart and never letting go. Yet, even in the midst of this voice, she realized one thing about that statement; devils never cry and certainly not for their mothers.

Lost in what to say to gain his attention and question his thought about their predicament, a sudden dull pain coursed through her head, forcing her paw to clutch the base of her ear and apply pressure. Though the cold fresh powdered snow pelting her helped to alleviate the ache, the feeling and shadowed fragments of memory that it brought made her feel worse. They were walking to her cruiser one moment, and there was panic in the next; she woke up terrified of Nick holding her close to a machine, and then, in their argument, he had figured her out. So much happened so quickly that it was difficult for her to process.

Visibly frustrated and squinting her eyes as she rubbed and scratched her head, she never noticed the fox peering over towards her.

'You may have a concussion.'

His voice was not more than a whisper above the crunch of snow to her honed ears, but it forced her to glance his way. Her focus immediately fell on his features, emerald eyes worried and tired; his ears pinned back while he tried to form the weakest of smiles.

It was something that she wasn't used to and shuddered at the strange feeling. Unable to identify what it was, she chucked it up to the sheer and biting cold that made its home around them.

The dullness in her head slowly dying, she shook her head thought. If that was true, then visiting a hospital was a top priority. Staying in peak condition was a must for any officer of the force.

Though even as she mulled over this, the questions looming in the midst of her mind flooded back to her reality. Engaged in the scenario and unable to escape as of yet, her eyes focused on him and she whispered back. 'You think a wolf might have been involved with what happened at the park?'

The first thing she noticed was that Nick's focus left her in an instant, instead landing on the two silent canids guiding them. The scowl appearing on his muzzle with a flash of his fangs didn't make her flinch but brought a sense of equalized anger if it meant that another was potentially involved despite his conviction.

Parting his lips to speak, his glossy gaze beckoned to the snow kicked up by his feet. A new vigor coursed through his paws, forcing them to clutch themselves while his tail wrung a path of its own.

'...Yeah.'

She could easily detect the bitterness of his speck of an answer, like a winter squall amidst fallen leaves.

Blinking at the prospect, but not denying his sustained guilt in the scenario, her renewed anger flexed her her focus automatically. As if marching to its own tempo, her parting lips outpaced her cautious thought. 'You think they abducted us?'

Her head tilted to the wolves, though the question was more so aimed at their archetype n general. His ears perked up only slightly, but he fully understood what she had implied.

'...Probably.'

Again with the simplest of answers and the slight shift of body-signals, Judy nodded. While no immediate ideas came to her of escape as it the deep snow would be impossible to traverse, the imbedded questions within her still pressed forward without caution.

She leaned over to whisper. 'Any idea why?' She had done so in a moment when the wolves were focused forward, rounding the edge of the pathway and closing in on the building.

Seemingly lost in thought, the reynard skipped a step, sending fallen snow in a heap in front of them while he recovered. The chain that bound them tugged gently, as he moved to regain his balance. Judy, however, didn't falter as she hopped a step forward and to keep herself from being dragged across the frigid ground.

The moment over and his face stalwart towards the building, Nick swallowed; his expression stagnant and mouth agape. 'I...' He tried to find the right combination of words but instead rubbed behind his ear to where he felt the pressure from before. 'May... owe their boss.'

His hesitation in answering was what had told her that it was potentially worse than what she had hoped. It was one thing to be captured and handed off to an unknown fate by predators, but it was a different set of scenarios in their entire to be indebted and kidnapped under the same occasion.

Biting her lip with her larger set of teeth, she choked back her inhibitions to pry further. 'Who's their boss?'

Nick, taken aback at her forward question, looked around as if to see if anyone was watching them. Though it was no more than the two wolves, the snow and the appearance of large doors to one of the buildings presumed entrances, his air of caution was oddly serious.

Leaning over after ensuring that the coast was clear, his foreboding sense left Judy in quiet wait. Not more than a foot had they traveled before he begrudgingly answered. 'His name's Koslov.'

Her ears must have betrayed her as they straightened themselves towards the fox. Grey fur standing on end to embrace the cold further, and lavender eyes now soaking in more sunlight than needed, the doe went slack-jawed at the revelation.

"That mob boss!?"

Even as she shouted, forcing few snowflakes from taking their residence on her, she could tell that Nick was serious about his favor owed. Wishfully, however, she had hoped for something less drastic.

"Hey! Keep it down back there." She heard ahead of her.

Glaring ahead, Judy saw the brown wolf keenly eyeing them, flashing his fangs and pointing a paw at them to keep silent. There was nothing that she could truly do to stop the wolf from telling her, a cop, what to do. Compliant until she could figure a way out, she kept quiet but mulled over the thought in her mind.

From what she heard about Koslov, a polar bear, he was a ruthless mobster that have caused the police trouble for years. The Tundra Town Police Department, Precinct Four, was the main faction that investigated him on a daily. His crimes, still unable to be traced, included a number of: arsons, disappearances, smugglings, money launderings, and so many more heinous acts that when she last saw his investigative files, it nearly crashed her computer. If Nick was involved as he said he was, then no doubt existed in her mind that it was him that brought them here; meeting this criminal meant that death awaited them in the confines of the building.

The cold shiver that struck her at that moment had nothing to do with the weather. It was the sense of dread that one would receive with the end of their lives presented to them moments before it was issued. Koslov would be this end if she didn't act.

Various ideas about how to escape eluded her at every angle. Sure, alone she could make it bearing the difficulties that came with traversing the snow. With Nick literally chaining her down, it was impossible no matter how she tried to rewrite the scene. No weapon or escape route, they were trapped for now.

Her escape plans on the shelf, the group reached the pair of intricate doors to the towering structure. Dark solid wood doors lightly frosted from the morning cold, its stone archway an ominous welcome with blue lighting all around. Trimmed plants edged its enclosure, yet their green was speckled with powdered snow.

The wolves stopped at a panel to the doors side a foot away with Judy and Nick following suit. Without notifying the smaller mammals of their actions, the grey wolf keyed in a few numbers and waited. Their pause, a quiet reprieve from the sound of snow being crushed under their feet, gave Judy time to think of what to follow up in her questions.

'Why wasn't that on your record?' She whispered to the distraught fox, wolves focused on the clicking sound the door made.

In moments, the door creaked ajar, welcoming the group with a crisp chill much like the temperature outside. The wolves happily walked forward, with the grey coated one turning to wave them inward. No other option, Judy hesitantly stepped inside with Nick begrudgingly following.

Her hopes of being warm were shot down the instant she stepped through the threshold of the door. While not inherently as cold as the outside, it did little to stave off the biting sting of winter on her, fur and all.

Breath icy and toes near freezing, the first thing Judy noticed when she walked in was the immaculate design of the area. It was a large and filled space with decor of all kinds. Several plants sat evenly down rows, bluish-green in color and standing firm against the cold. Vases, pictures adorned stands and walls to fill in the gaps. Some ice sculptures, ranging from: bears, wolves, and a few foxes, saluted them as they passed.

Down the hallway they strode, vibrant glass chandeliers cast blue hues to the surrounding area. To the untrained eye, one would say that they were purely made of ice.

The walls themselves were a series of arches and pillars with crisscrossing sets of octagonal floral patterns. While somewhat almost deliberately mundane, the etchings reflected the ambient light perfectly to make them all seem like arrays of polished jewels; set and stretching out as far as one could see.

Even the floor, misty from the cold and devoid of any such speck of dust and debris, carried glistening sparkles of frost on its finely colored surface. Though no clear pattern was present, the subtle curves and sways of deep blue and partial tents of red and violet helped to exemplify a clear night with a setting sun.

'It was a favor.' Nick whispered back with Judy twisting her ear towards him. The chill he felt was real as he spoke, the surrounding doing him no comfort. 'He wanted me to host his son's birthday party because he loaned me the money, to begin with.' He leaned in, paw-cuffs jingling and a cruel irony of the reminder of debt. 'And you don't betray Koslov.'

With a frosted sigh, he turned to face ahead; silently thankful that the wolves quietly padded along. He didn't want to venture further into what would most assuredly be his fate, but the other alternative was to freeze first. Not that that would have been a bad option in his eyes.

New information and new gaps made, Judy recalled what she knew about the bear in question. She didn't know he had a son, she didn't know much about the bear aside from his criminal record. It was interesting to her, however, that Koslov would have risked showing his face in public for the sake of his son.

Focused ahead with a burning question on the tip of her tongue to fight against the winters fury, she leaned towards Nick to investigate further. 'When was his birthday?'

Eyeing Judy nervously, Nick thought deeply. He could never forget the bears birthday, after all, Koslov ensured that. 'February fifth,' He whispered, his own ears perking up at what he said; he himself unable to believe it. 'So that would be today...' He tore his head away from her and placed a paw square on his forehead. The panful bump welcoming the fresh touch proved more useful as a reminder to what was around the corner of his fate. 'He's gonna kill me.'

Motions spent and answers told, Nick sighed out of the sheer frustration he felt and how it got this far. Though he couldn't tell by looking at her, Judy's expression of concern had a twinge of regret attached. For in her mind, the change of date meant more than a fresh start and renewed chance at one's goals; with no sense of when it was, they could be in grave danger in seconds.

Swallowing the lump in her throat at the 'if and when' of Nick's kill collar should time run out, Judy had to plan for getting them out by at least finding 'when' if it was too late and deal with the 'if' when it happened. Neither outcome seemed good, but at least she had to get a good idea of the exact time it would execute.

She remembered how Nick told her it went off several times before it had little time left, and how the first alarm triggered at around 6:30 PM the night before. If it was already early morning now and no warning had sounded since they woke up, then they had to have at least a few hours left. How many was still a mystery.

With no watch, phone, or gear, she didn't have the slightest inkling of a clue as to the time. Not even in the great hallways they passed did she see a single clock, frozen hand or not. She sighed and thought of the only other option to know their ' _whenabout's_ ' and hopefully make it in time should they escape. Not too happy at what she would do, she figured she may as well give it a shot. Besides, the worst the wolves could do was the same outcome if Nick's kill collar timed out.

Perking her stance up and clearing her throat, she jogged a few steps forward. Though Nick was dragged along, it did little to stop her from catching the attention of the wolves.

"You two wouldn't happen to know what time it is, would you?"" She asked ahead, causing the two hulking canines to stop in their tracks at the mouth of an atrium.

The two stood still, eyeing her momentarily before the brown broke away and one took a step forward. "Shut it, rabbit!" He growled, his stance aggressive and, the collar at his neck yellow. His abrasive posture didn't intimidate Judy, but she felt the chain at her side shift with Nick taking a step back.

Before the wolf was even able to go a step further, his assumed partner, the grey wolf, intervened by placing a paw on his shoulder. The aggressive wolf's attention diverted and the grey wolf staring him down and whispering something, tension quickly dissipated. The grey wolf pointed behind him to a set of stairs leading up, and the brown wolf grit his teeth and walked away.

Sighing and shaking his head at the spectacle, the wolf pulled out his phone and stared blankly at Judy.

"Eight o' five." He replied firmly, placing the phone back and motioning them forward.

Though Judy was thankful that the time was earlier than she thought, she noticed a tensing in the chain attached to her. Curious, she turned to see Nick visibly cringing at the mention of time and his tame collar blinking yellow. While yes, the did have a little time on their side, knowing would be about the same as not knowing; the fact that minutes tick away to your death sentence is unsettling.

Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, Judy tugged their bind to snap him out of his panic. He focused ahead, clearly upset that hours were left with no potential way out. He could only move on and hope for something to change.

At the base of the staircase that the wolf had led them to, the group began their ascent. The grandiose steps were as lavish as the hall they left. While similar in color, their design was nothing but extravagant. Small etched figures adorned the banisters and the surface was far smoother than the floor of the ZPD itself. Nearly crystalline in appearance, every clack of their toes was like that of a faint bell ringing. The fine mist that pooled down from their peak along with the narrowing at the top made it seem as though they were climbing a mountain.

Though beautiful as it was, Judy had little difficult in her climb. Clearly made for larger mammals it was no easy task to hop up each and every stair. By the time they reached the top to a set of elevators and varying corridors, her legs finally felt warm if only from the exercise.

To no surprise, the wolves strode up to the elevator doors, its frame fine stained marble. The grey wolf called the elevator down and stood ready and patiently waiting. The other wolf, however, stared at Judy with a piercing fiery gaze. It was annoying enough to have been there for her, but with this wolf practically breathing down her neck, it made her uncomfortable; he had suggested eating them after all.

After what seemed like forever, the ding of their next transport alerted them. The moment the doors opened, a fine haze pooled out of the bottom, adding to the already nebulous cloud they stood upon. A few wolves stepped out, eyeing the fox and bunny. They took no time to say anything but nod dash down the stairs as if their lives depended on it. In seconds they reached the ground floor and raced down the hallway that Judy and Nick had just left.

Curious as to what the exchange was about, Judy looked up to the wolves but was instead ushered forward by the grey wolf's beckoning. With predators all around her and Nick chained beside her, she had no choice but to follow. She begrudgingly stepped into the elevator, feeling the tension of their chain as it reached its maximum distance, him still just outside momentarily before hearing the click of his nails on the elevator floor. With them both aboard, the grey wolf hit one of the few buttons, instantly shutting the doors and hoisting them upwards.

Judy looked around her, the walls of the chamber almost sterling in their furnishings with a reflective mirror behind them. With nothing else to do, she stared at her reflection to gauge her status further. She easily saw the small bump that adorned the crown of her head, she could definitely go for a visit to the hospital after they were done. Hair missing and coat donned, she was still chained to the renard beside her; though he looked worse for wear than she did as he stared at the ground quietly with his tail curled around his feet.

Before she would have argued with him and told him off at every turn, never attempting to simply talk to him and only demand answers, but now something was... different. Was it because she was chained to him? That he hadn't killed or attack her? Either way, she couldn't tell. From the little she experienced around him, he wasn't like the other foxes she knew; ruthless predators, her natural enemy who only knew how to answer with their fangs.

The slow hum of the elevator gave her time to think of any way to escape. All she had to currently work with was her wit and the fox's slightly larger size. Even if they ran it'd be too hard to get away from the wolves without a weapon, the snow would be another mess to deal with, but from the height, they were presumed to be at it could serve as an advantage in landing if not too high up. The fact still remained though that there was nothing they could currently do, no weapon meant a complete disadvantage.

Sighing at this new shot having falling down on her, her curiosity peaked, and her voice echoed her thought.

Looking up at the grey wolf, she clenched her paws and asked. "What do you want with us?" Her tone almost accusatory, it caught his attention and that of the other.

While the grey wolf stood stoic and silent, almost as if it were her own judgement, his counterpart and partner scowled and showed the slightest hint of his fangs. They were day and night as far as Judy could tell, but she felt no comfort surrounded by predators of either faction.

With a deep sigh, the wolf leaned down to her. "Our boss has a few questions for you." Behind his misted breath, Judy could see the makings of a smile before he pointed to the fox. "And, a few more for Nick here."

The mention of his name, Nick tilted his head up to meet the gaze of the wolf with fears both known and unknown. Had it not been so cold, he would have surely shivered from his horrors realized.

The sound of cackling resounded in the chamber as the brown wolf snickered at the sight. "Yeah, like how quickly you'd freeze to death!" He mocked, pointing at either of them.

Not amused at this, Judy stared straight at him as his jubilant demeanor suddenly dropped. All eyes, even his now enraged friend, stared at him with mixes of emotion. In seconds, he growled at them, reaching inside his overcoat and in one swift motion he drew a taser, aimed squarely at the distraught rabbit.

Her nose twitching as she was face to face with yet another gun aimed at her, she shuffled a step back. While she would have enjoyed the company of her preferred weapon, it being near her face did nothing but fill her with fear.

Immediately, the grey wolf stood and held his paw in front of his arrogant partner. "Knock it off." He shouted, his collar yellowing from the sheer tension of the room.

Barely moving the weapon an inch, the crazed wolf braced himself, harshly shoving his partner away. "Make me!" He screeched, roughly pushing his way to the bunny.

She wasn't the only one to reposition herself as Nick scrambled to find a wall away from the weapon because his life depended on it. Amidst the chaos of the fighting, the brown wolf managed to shove the other into a corner; muzzle first and pained, the grey wolf's collar set off, finishing what would be an intervention.

While Nick pressed himself against the wall, Judy watched and waited for any possible out of the attack. Without a weapon herself, their chances were slim to none. All she had to work with was-

' _The chain_...' Her mind answered for her.

Small in stature, and contemplating on how to best use it as this was about to be a potential bloody mess for them, Judy braced herself for even the smallest window of opportunity.

Satisfied that that was out of the way, the victorious wolf grinned, huffing and leaning towards them. Waving his weapon dangerously in front of him, he laughed as he neared Judy to intimidate her face to face.

Judy looked at him for a moment, maw open and nearly licking his chops. With a single plan of action in mind, this could be her only chance out of here. She tugged on the chain, bringing nick closer and giving her more slack to work with.

Still mocking, the wolf stood inches away from her face. "And what are you gonna do, little bun-"

In a flash, Judy grabbed hold of her binding and looped it under one of the wolf's larger canines. He didn't have a moment to react to the rabbit hopping onto the tip of his nose as he was too close. She used her small size and strong legs to push off his muzzle and pull the canid's canine with her. Amidst the sudden turnabout, the wolf released both his weapon and a pained howl. Small spats of blood painted the wall behind her just before she landed; a large tooth falling to the ground, clattering as it disappearing into the shallow mist.

"MMNNNHHH!" The wolf screamed, clutching his muzzle in his paws. The penalty for his actions complete with an immediate and well-deserved shock. It forced him to the ground with his ally, sputtering from the multiple levels of pain.

Nick stood slack-jawed at the sight, he had fully expected Judy to be tased or worse. The small smile that grew on his muzzle was more than enough to calm his nerve thought they were still in cold waters.

Taking action with adrenaline coursing through her veins, Judy hatched a partial escape plan. With them still moving up and the wolves down, she scrambled to find the taser that was dropped in the fog. The moment she did and hoisted the cumbersomely large thing in her paws, she adjusted herself to carry it with two paws, much like she did with her net gun. Nodding as she checked the weight, the shifting of the grey wolf getting back up helped her make her next series of decisions.

"No sudden moves." She yelled, aiming the taser at him. Despite his relaxed posture and willingness to comply earlier, she couldn't take any chances. He held his paws up and sat against the wall of the elevator, unmoving though clearly distressed while faced with the weapon.

She backed towards the door, waiting for the elevator to come to a stop with Nick catching on. He was far more nervous than he was willing to admit, but still, they had the upper-hand currently; maybe they'd make it out alive after all.

Soon, the elevator came to a sudden stop, dinging as the doors opened. Judy backed away slowly, only taking a second to stare down a brightly lit hallway before seeing the wolf again. She tilted her head as Nick caught her glance.

"Hit the down button!" She ordered, Nick going wide-eyed at the suggestion and reaching for the floor buttons seconds later.

The next destination called, the pair backed away from the elevator, leaving the grey wolf stunned as he grinned at them. The door closed and they could hear the gears turning as the car made its decent.

"Run!" Judy yelled, taking no time to turn tail and escape while they still had a chance. She didn't have to tell Nick again as he followed suit and bolted down the direction she thought best.

Carrying the gun and embracing the cold, they dashed down the embellished archways. Large statues encompassed them as their toes clacked in unison. Not knowing how far they were in, or how much farther, Judy refused to stop; giving up meant death and she knew that the wolf would summon allies soon.

"Where - are - we going?" She heard behind her, in short, paced breaths.

"We need to find a window."

All her escape plan was that simple. Find a window, hope for snow at the bottom, and get to Precinct Four with news of Koslov. They'd be able to help transport them to the prison in plenty of time to-

Her thought was cut off midway by a sound as thunderous as a stampede from just ahead. Knowing what it was, she made a harsh turn, nearly sliding on the floor and taking the fox with her down another corridor. Wasting no momentum they pressed forward seeing an open archway that led to a balcony. Believing this to be their out, they raced forward, the sound closing on their heels as exited to the outside. It was far colder than she wanted, but she'd have to manage. Setting foot on the cold stone was difficult as fresh snow began to pile. The edge of the great structure was guarded by a dense stone railing that, by the time they reached it, was already iced over.

Sliding towards it and peering over, Judy's heart sank as there was no way they'd be leaving in this route; for far below them rested a deep blue pool of water. If they were to get hypothermia from just standing there, then the fall into the icy blue would surely mean death. Backing down and looking around, she thought of what else she could do. The first thing she noticed, however, was Nick's frozen posture and him staring at the archway blankly; she could guess what was coming.

She turned to fully see a wall of wolves staring at them, each of different markings but all wearing relatively the same wear. She clutched the gun deeply to her chest as they parted way to reveal a much larger wolf than any of them, easily almost twice their size. The wolf, tall and intimidating, stared blankly at the two before shuffling to the side as well; a much smaller figure strode out of the shadows.

"Well well well... What have we here." A voice, feminine and oddly calm carried its way to their ears. Nick shifted uncomfortably, his maw on the verge of opening. "Party crashers? On little Moris's Birthday? How fun."

Judy stared as what appeared to be a white fox stepped out into view. From her judgment, she wasn't as tall as Nick but still stood taller than Judy herself. She wore a black skirt embroidered with a speckled snowflake pattern and a blue vest that was a cross of business casual and relaxed. A green light at her neck contrasted her appearance greatly.

In one paw and slung over her shoulder was a spade shovel, and the other clutched a small pawpsickle that she casually nibbled on. Icy blue eyes carefully watching them as her ears flickered now and again. Her tail swished carelessly in the snow as she paced herself towards them, a bright and welcoming smile beamed from her muzzle.

She stopped a few feet away from them, grinning as she looked back at the wolves she left. "For those of you who were supposed to be guarding the Borscht room to have abandoned your posts, step forward." No response from the canines as they looked carefully at one another, she growled and pointed her shovel at them. "Gary! Larry! I said come here!"

Her order given, two wolves, one white and one grey, nervously stepped forward. They looked back at their comrades with almost pleading eyes, but it was no use as they heard vixen ahead of them faux cough for their attention.

"We-"

"We, what?!" She shouted at them, silencing them in an instant. Her voice still somehow calm and clear as day. "You both know that room needed to be guarded as the machine needs repair."

The two looked down, collars yellow and nervously fiddling with their paws.

The vixen shook her head and shouldered the shovel. "What part of 'Borscht and other products we sell is an essential part of Tundra Towns food source for predators and must be guarded at all times'." She said with a coy smile. "DID YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?!"

Her tone was so powerful that it made Judy's ears ring.

Out of the two wolves, the grey one was the first to speak. "W-we had to go to the funeral ma'am." His posture was somber and uneasy.

"He... he was our friend." The white wolf chimed in but never met her gaze. "He was a brother to us."

The vixen looked at them and sighed "I know." She shifted her stance and looked at the wolf collective. "I needed you two to take over until we had someone replace you. I couldn't give you two a hard task or something out in the open when you both clearly needed time."

The two cringed at their failure, settling for staring at her for the time being as she continued. "I was going to come and get you to watch this myself until later. I can't dig graves and stand guard at the same time." She deftly defended herself. "I was trying to get you two in to see the last few hours of the ceremony and then take the day off."

She sighed and looked back at Judy with a distraught air about her. "I'm sorry I couldn't do this any other way, but the fact stands that we don't have that many to spare."

Not bothering to look back at the wolves she knew, the smile appeared back on her muzzle when she took a few steps forward.

"Nicholas!" She greeted in a cheery tone, the renard giving a nervous grin in response.

"S-snowflake?" He responded, trembling at the mention of the name.

The vixen stopped in her tracks, narrowing her eyes at him before she smiled and bared her fangs at him. "For the last time Nicholas," "It's Snow FELL!" She growled through her teeth.

Judy didn't know how to respond but clutched the gun further. If a fight was to happen, she'd at least get one shot. She leaned over and whispered. "You know her?"

Nick scratched the nape of his neck and nodded with a fake smile. "That's Snow." He answered. "But I just call her Snowflake to mess with her."

Judy recognized the name from before. She remembered when Jack had said something about 'Snow' and Nick mentioned a 'Snowflake' signing a release for him. If that was true, then could this vixen be one in the same? Could 'Snow' be the arctic fox that signed for Nick only to capture them?

"And who is this we have here?" Snow pointed at the quizzical doe. "You're that bunny cop, aren't you?"

She refused to answer but swallowed a dreadful feeling in her throat.

The vixen chuckled and pointed behind her to the wolves. "I got word that you chipped one of my wolves teeth." Her chuckling turned to laughter. "He earned it, though. As much as a fool as ever that Reginald, always biting first without looking. Tragic really."

The mention of his name and status caused the other wolves to burst into fits of laughter. From the information she could gather, it was the name of the wolf she took down in the elevator. It brought a smile to her face to hear that. Without further notice, Judy held the weapon aloft and aimed at the vixen. She'd get answers no matter what.

"Why did you kidnap us and bring us here?" She demanded, failing to see the vixen back down. Instead, the wolves stepped forward before Snow waved a paw at them to halt.

The arctic fox's eyes narrowed and her grin died down. "Hmm?" She hummed sarcastically.

Nick leaned over to say something, but Judy hiked the gun up more. "Don't play dumb, fox. Tell me why you kidnapped us."

The vixen's demeanor dropped instantly, her relaxed and regal look soured to a serious visage.

"Your threats are very cute." She said in a condescending manner while Judy grit her teeth.

"Don't call me cu-"

The vixen instead bit down on the pawpsickle and held out her paw. "Now, if you'd be a dear and hand me the weapon." She demanded through her teeth.

The doe, in turn, clasped her paw on the trigger. "Back off!" She replied in a low and demanding tone.

Nick stood back, he didn't want any of this to happen, but with Snow and Judy at each other, there was little he could do to intervene. Not even Honey was this stubborn.

The vixen stepped forward, eyes cold and determined to put an end to this mischief. "Put the weapon down, little bunny... and you won't get hurt."

Judy wouldn't have any of this. "I said back...OFF!"

The fox, closer than comfortable, sighed and bit hard into the iced treat she enjoyed moments ago. The look on her face reading 'They always want the hard way' before she tightened the grip on her shovel.

Before Judy could hope to fire, the white fox dashed towards her, running to her blind side as the weapon was too heavy to easily crane around. Judy pulled the trigger, firing the shot only to hear a ' _tink_ ' of a sound echoing from the plated metal shovel dropping to the ground with the vixen inches away. Silence rang through her ears as the weapon dropped all its own and she could see her reflection clearly in the sky blue eyes of the arctic fox.

No more than a second had passed when she felt the cold sting of Snow's jaws clamp down on her. Her whole body went numb. The feeling of fangs at her neck, forcing her to tremble. She felt something cold trickle down her neck as she went wide-eyed, gasping for a breath that refused to come. She felt her body being constricted as she tried to writhe and wriggle her way out of the fox's jaws only to feel the teeth press against her deeper. Terror shot through her, her ear burned and her eyes began to blur.

"Snow!" She heard through the muffled sound of her own screams and the fox's growls. A shifting of her body and sudden release of pressure around he neck, she could breathe again but was too shocked to want to.

"Now," She heard, feeling a hot and grotesque air at her shoulder. "I'm going to release you, and you'd better not try that again. Understood?"

Reflexively nodding to the sound, she felt herself fall to her paws to a shallow snowy surface below. She was lifted to a red set of paws bringing her up, a set of green eyes staring worriedly at her as she shook lightly, barely registering them.

She felt the same set of paws carefully apply light pressure to her neck, a huff of a breath and whisper of 'it's just her pawpsickle' assured her without panic.

"If you're here then you're a guest of ours," The vixen called out again, walking over to retrieve her shovel and looking back to them. "And our guests would be foolish to draw fire on us. Right?"

She felt a shifting just next to her as Nick nodded.

"Good." Snow replied, looking at the wolves. "Get them some hats and scarves."

Nick eyed them as the wall of canines saluted, each curling their paws and placing it over their hearts as they disbanded. None so much as making a peep when they disappeared down the hall.

The vixen stood, swishing her tail and watching them, turned to smile at the renard. "Now, we're going to pay Koslov a little visit, hmm?"

The doe trembling at his side, generally okay for now, he grinned back. "Sure thing, Snowfl-"

He knew he had made a mistake by going too far as the cold sting of metal was at his throat. He didn't even see her move before the sharp edge of the shovel was just below his collars. He daren't move.

Snow smiled warmly. "What fancy jewelry they gave you. Huh, Nicholas?" She asked, lifting the shovel slightly and scratching his neck with ice cold metal. "What time does your watch go off?"

He swallowed lightly, remembering the time and shrugging. "Twelve-thirty..."

The only response he received was the vixen flicking her ear as she turned around. "Bring me some ear muffs for our guests!" She shouted down the hallway before waving them forward and looking at the shuddering renard in the eye. "Oh would you relax, Nicholas? If Koslov wanted you dead, then I'd tell you so."

Still not reassured by the events, he nodded. Nick followed Snow back into the cold hallway, holding a dazed Judy at his side carefully. For now, at least, he hoped they were in good paws; Snow hadn't let him down before, and hopefully wouldn't let them die.

* * *

"In the insurmountable task I said 'Always bring a friend with you, make your differences work together!'"

* * *

Hello there, and welcome to the end notes! I hope you're all enjoying the story so far.

New Nick n' Finnick soon (hopefully this weekend) and ZPD: Zootopia Poltergeist Detainment as well.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other at your leisure. Also, these stories can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

deviantart:  
dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything... More to come soon. If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Till Next Time

-DLW


	24. Fimbulvetr

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. Thank you to all my readers, follows, fav's and reviews and for your feedback it makes writing all the more fun. And time for a little action in the story, more to come and more at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

I'm going to keep doing response reviews for the FF account:

Combat Engineer: As promised (tried to get this out two days ago, but felt it wasn't ready) here you go! Also, this Judy is still... this Judy?

Sergeant Sargent II: It gets a bit more odd until Volume 2 where a lot will be explained. And yes, there are some that wear tame collars and are _completely_ sadistic with no empathy. Then there's characters like Salt... which will be explained.

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Five: Endeavor

'Fimbulvetr'

* * *

"I stand before you and ask. 'When facing our mountain, what is the most important thing to remember?'"

* * *

[February 5, 'Tundra Town' 8:17 AM]

A darkened flash under dimmed light blurred what remained of her vision. She could see fine strands of unkempt fur hurtling towards her at an unimaginable speed while she herself could barely scramble backward. Sickening crunches and blood-curdling screams that echoed to her frail form moments ago were silenced in an instant by the deep growling and guttural raving that only grew louder.

' _Carrots_.'

The obscure and grotesque features of the mammal before her left her without breath as she finally found the corner which she knew would be her last. Odd that such... imaginative thoughts come at such a time when one has no full concept of death. Still, though, she was consumed by fear and paralyzed by terror far deeper than she had ever known. Then, with teary eyes, she shielded herself in hopes that this would but momentarily pass.

' _Carrots_...'

No sooner had her sole defense protected her, her own voice rang out. Her glossy gaze drifted towards the glistening white wall that clasped deep onto her ear, her horrors soon to be realized with the silent others. A sting started a scream, a snarl made into a shout, a growl became a gurgle. Dark specks flooded her view, a thick cloud of red before her, and a single spot of grey-

' _Carrots_!'

The voice - both strong and somehow concerned - startled her. The doe's seses came back in slow ripples as the limelight faded; the world around her began to make sense again. She felt an awkward heaviness atop her head both dull and grasping while a gentle force rested about her neck. The steady click of toes and jingle of metal amidst the bitter cold vaguely reminded her where she was. Just in the corner of her vision, she saw a tint of red. Her instincts kicking in, she shuffled a step backward. She could not... no... _would_ _not_ be a victim of this attack. However, the sudden taught of chain tugged and the greater part of her vision was restored. She looked ahead to see two figures looking back at her; one red and one white.

In her primal state of alarm she tried to walk further back, but the cuffs securely around her wrist refused to let her go. A simple clicking of claws scraping the ground and a tug at her arm allowed her to focus more, revealing both a worried looking red fox, and cackling white one. It took her a moment to process who the figures were; the red fox she knew as Nick, the other-

"Aww, how cute. He calls you Carrots."

-the other was Snow...

This, Judy _utterly_ detested. The fact that this... _vixen_... this... _fox_ of all creatures had the nerve, the audacity to call her cute _twice_. That word being a common faux-pas among many species for them to use against rabbits, was used in such a _demeaning_ way that Judy wanted nothing more than to see her muzzled and in cuffs asap. She knew, however - with the way things went last time - she couldn't even come close to Snow without a weapon. She had no means of taking down the fox with ease. Hopefully, the opportunity would arise soon.

The vixen had one of her paws lazily clasped to her hip, while the other clutched to her shovel loosely. The blue shimmer of her eyes twinkled with a mix of mischief and confidence that she had come to know their kind had. Her neck craned comically towards Nick. Amidst her bout of laugher, she gave a simper grin. "How did you two get here anyways?"

Taking account to the question, Nick focused instead on Judy. With his paw outstretched towards her, he waved her forward. Though he only saw a flash of anger in her eyes as he did so, but he could see it wasn't directed towards him. Even though that was a hairsbreadth of progress, he still couldn't understand why the doe was increasingly hostile. Then again... there was Snow to consider.

Pulling his paw back and smirking at the vixen he replied, "Gotta hand it to you Snow, I didn't expect _you_ of all mammals to sic wolves on us."

From what she could gather, Judy understood that Nick and Snow had some kind of history together. From the way they talked, and from the signature page that Jack gave her, she could say that they may be... friends? Still, though, it didn't make sense for Snow to kidnap the two of them. A punishable offense with at least ten years in prison tied to it.

"Yes, from the Borscht room," the vixen deadpanned.

It wasn't just the tone that irritated Judy to no end - with an almost saccharine hitch of condescension - but the way she was _actively_ denying her part in what was almost murder minutes ago. However, before even able to voice her opinion, Judy was tugged forward.

"No, Snow." It was Nick that spoke up first. His paws and pose - in a gesture of accusation - were fixed towards the long hallway they had paced down from. "We were attacked by your wolves in Savannah Central."

In her deepened and unfocused mental panic, Judy hadn't taken notice of it until just then. She was far too gone to see the whitewashed walls and frosted windowpanes that broke with cascading sunlight. It would have been a little less chilly had she not seen the sky so overcast now. Subconsciously, she tugged a little on her scarf; not that it did her feet any good, though. Then again... when did she get a scarf? And a... a hat?

Reaching up to the top of her head, she affirmed that she indeed did have a hat on. Plush and padded with her ears tucked firmly under it, she made to question how it appeared there when Snow grinned at her. "Complementary guest warmers from us," She then focused her attention towards Nick. "But why do you think _my_ wolves kidnapped you?"

Nick, then in the spotlight, narrowed his eyes at the vixen. Though she bore a victorious visage about her, Nick's was equally as smug. He wasted no time by reaching into his coat pocket and fumbling around for something.

"You see. I found this ring in the Nocturnal District," just as he said, he removed a small silver circlet from his coat and held it for them both to see. "I've seen some of the wolves here wearing them." He paced forward, dragging the doe willingly with him. Though he didn't see the quizzical look of her face, the confounded stare that Snow gave him was priceless when he dropped the odd piece of jewelry into her paw. "Gazelle was attacked by wolves too."

Finishing his statement - adding a small but obnoxious salute to the dumbfounded vixen - Judy eyed him in astonishment. It wasn't just from the fact that he somehow silenced Snow in a single motion (she enjoyed the look on her face) but the fact that Nick withheld information from her. Then again, she guessed, with the panic at the diner and Nick not truly showing hostility, she could let it slide. She'd talk to him later should they leave alive.

Snow, upon taking the ring in paw and quietly observing it with all the intricate detail of a jeweler, sighed and looked back up to them. "This is Terry's ring..." she began, her voice somber and almost silent. "You shouldn't have this..."

"Why?" was Nick's immediate response.

Judy would have been the one asking questions, but it seemed that the renard was easily able to get the upper paw in the situation. At least one fox seemed cooperative in the investigation.

Tilting her head down the hallway, Snow ushered for them to follow. After she took a few steps away, they quickly followed suit.

The vixen's pace was urgent when she called back, "Terry's been dead since yesterday, and his ring's been missing for month since the day he got sick." While it didn't come as a surprise to Judy - the mentioning of the dead wolf as she remembered hearing of a funeral earlier - it still struck her as odd that the ring was somehow found districts away and on the day they were kidnapped. "I need to check the security cams."

It hadn't taken them long to reach the end of yet another corridor; passing by dozens of doors and frosted windows that was more akin to a maze than any place of residence. Down towards the end was a large double door guarded by wolves on either side. The face of the doors door were lavishly designed with white marble and bore the etchings of a mountain on its surface. White light from glistening chandeliers gave it a regal look for its pristine condition. The sounds of commotion were apparent fro a few doors down, but not a mammal save for the guards was around.

Before they could even reach the doors, the two wolf guards gave them a nod of acknowledgment and worked in tandem to pry the massive structure open. As they did so, various voices - some filled with boisterous laughter and others shouting or gleefully cheering - crossed the way to their ears in an instant.

Being welcomed in with the wolves waving their paws at Snow and the two guests, their small party graciously entered into what appeared to be a party of sorts. A large reception hall was opened to them; easily captivating their senses with colourful streamers, the spicy smell of fresh foods being served, and softly paced music to soothe them. What looked like the star attraction of the room was a small stage across the way with a polar bear cub sharply dressed with a vest and black tie. Though the room was cold - the blue hue of the lighting and ice sculptures set amidst a myriad of tables doing nothing to sate the mental need for warmth - it was surprisingly inviting. Groups of guests ranging from: packs of wolves, sleuths of bears, and leaps of leopard's, were all encompassed about large tables. Kits and cubs were running around, shouting as much as they could before either their parents called them, or were delivered a warning from their tame collars to calm themselves down.

While still in awe at the spectacle, Judy still couldn't help but raise a brow at the festivities. From what she had gleaned earlier, she could assume that this was the birthday party for Kozlov's cub, but something was a bit off to her. As she was a lieutenant - spending years knowing the law and all of the bylaws and subtexts - she could see that the gathering was anything but legal. From the Predation Clause's own text it stated that-

[ _Any and all forms of unsanctioned gathering (of predatory citizens) by parties of three or more (without informing proper law enforcement and city legislation) for the intent of occupying a formal or informal establishment for any period of time will be apprehended and charged with breaking the major clause of: Conspiracy._

For more information, please refer to subclauses PC 1-1a(Predatory Citizenship), PC-C.18-4a(Gathering), and PC-C.22-9b(Enforcement and Legislation for Gathering)]

She couldn't help but almost gnaw on her teeth at how - knowing that this was Kozlov's place of residence and that there was no way any of this was legal - she was here and able to do nothing but gawk and keep her thoughts to herself lest Snow take action against her (some guest she had to be). Still, though, through it all, the gathering wasn't exactly what she expected it to be in the slightest.

For whatever reason... there were prey attending the party as well. Though not as numerous as the predators there - if she'd have to say, there were about two dozen or so fauna of different varieties (mostly elk) - none of them were children. Even to that matter, she could clearly see that all of them wore tame collars; and, as much as she wanted nothing more than to shut down this illegal gathering, seeing them made her inwardly cringe and outwardly shudder.

Had she not learned of them being for prey by mere accident, and then being told that it was mandate of law by DelCorre and Jack, then she surely would have spoken up. Yet, _assuredly_ , each one of them wearing a tame collar was proven to have been involved in criminal acti-

-' _What about Gazelle_?' A forethought pushed its way through.

Judy traced her eyes from an ice sculpture - possibly a bear, she couldn't tell but it seemed to be the theme - to Nick who casually took in the place with a cheerful smirk. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, but could see that he had some reservation for being here. Had it not been for the simple twitch he had when glancing over at a few polar bears across the room, she would have never known.

"Ma'am!"

Taking her eyes off of him, her ears honed onto a squeaky set of voices that came out from just ahead. Judy witnessed something that she didn't think would happen quickly. Where Snow had been standing - waving towards a few party-goers and lazily twirling that accursed shovel around like it was a baton - there were now two equally white coated and smaller vixens at either side of her. Their diminutive tails swished and they clasped their paws to their knees to catch their respective breaths.

Snow gave a nod to them. "Articia," she said to one before turning to the other, "Frost." Judy was somewhat impressed as she was somehow able to distinguish the two apart despite their similar pink shimmering dress apparel.

Although Snow was clearly a giant compared to the two smaller vixens that were about Judy's height, they were all still 'Arctic Foxes'. Despite this, Snow seemed to have some degree of respect for them as she waited for them breathe and eyed them like a mother watching over her kits.

As soon as she caught her breath - the one Judy found to be called 'Articia' - spoke, "Ma'am, it's Morris. He-" she stopped, taking a moment to glance around Snow her bright blue eyes to see a familiar face. "Oh. Hello, Nick!" she said with a little wave.

As he waved back, the other fox 'Frost' did the same and asked, "Can we get you anything?"

Nick didn't even have the time to open his big maw before Snow gave a bark of laughter, "He doesn't eat meat, remember?" she answered the two back, getting playful giggles from them before she turned to the renard and whispered, ' _Bunnyscout_.'

The todd rolled his eyes at the remark before sighing. While this was more confirmation to Judy that he was indeed a vegetarian to some degree, he didn't want to fall for the vixens antics. So, instead, he came up with something to say or do to catch her off-guard. His ears perked up as he reached into his vest.

"Nah, it's alright, Snow," he spat out her name and she narrowed her eyes at him. "I've still got-"

His paws rummaged over the pastry that he had still with him - being in the cold temperatures helped preserve it and Nicholas Wilde would never throw away anything with blueberries in the name - but something was... different about it. While still being slightly smushed from their adventures, there was a much more rigid texture behind it. He went wide eyed at what it might be, and quickly rummaged around the pocket to confirm his suspicions. Grabbing hold of the object, he looked down and smiled excitedly; not even the faint beep stopped him from looking the rabbit's way cheerfully.

"Two words, Carrots. _Pocket_ Tart," he said, bright-eyed while she looked at him almost worriedly.

"Pocket, tart?" the doe repeated.

It wasn't just the fact that his collar was yellow and he seemed a lot happier than normal. No. It was also her potentially recognizing lingering head trauma from their escapade earlier. He was, after all ( _hopefully_ ), not after her like she previously assumed.

In her haste to figure out what was wrong and then possibly leave, Judy's mouth curled when she saw him clutch something in his paw. A small sheet of paper, folded and lightly stained blue from Nick's pastry from the diner. As she knew that there was nothing he could have had with him before - document or otherwise during their trip - the only thing she could think of was-

"THE LIST!"

Judy all but hopped up and grab it away from him, eyes shimmering and catching a few odd glances from the crowd around them. The doe hastily unfolded it - mindful of the small patch of blueberry paste plastered across the back - and read the contents. Her mind raced as quickly as her foot tapped in anticipation that the one thing they had tried to procure may just be okay. She was so excited that she had to pull her hat off her eyes several times to allow her to see. It was fully intact as she remembered it from the diner and only a little worse for wear. The names, being the most important feature, were still legible and no pastry stain enveloped them; it was perfectly fine, all she had to do was get it to the ZPD to start building the case.

With a breath of relief and a smile that traveled from one ear to the other, Judy looked up to Nick. She couldn't stop nearly shaking as the fox gave her a smug smile and mock salute before taking a bite of what was left of his pastry. Judy could truly say she was thankful at that moment that, despite Nick's shortcomings with criminal activity and his overall being a fox, he had come through in making a possible dent in the case.

"Then take Morris to his room. I'll get his father to speak with him in a moment. I'll keep you posted about Glacey."

Snow's voice called out, breaking Judy away from her moment with Nick. She witnessed the vixen giving a dismissive wave to the smaller Arctic Foxes. They both returned the gesture before dashing back off into the crowd, wary of the partygoers and nimbly avoiding a uniformed bear serving drinks.

Now with two foxes around, Snow shook her head and ushered them to follow her. With no choice but to comply, they steadily trailed behind her. Instead of taking a route which was clearly dangerous - being straightforward to the center of the room - they hugged the wall of the banquet hall. Judy found it a bit more... calming that there were prey mammals there, despite the nature of their status and predicament with tame collars. Still, though, it brought her peace of mind on different levels. Even when she was visiting Gazelle's diner, she felt more comforted knowing that she wasn't purely surrounded by predators (though she could figure Gazelle tolerated it by being adopted into the family of tigers).

Their stroll took a more casual pace as they passed by several seated mammals chatting about this and that on the outskirts of the room. While they weren't as boisterous as some of the other partygoers - mostly children happily munching on a decadent cake of some kind - they were, however, engaged in more enthralling conversations; Judy _swore_ one of the kits said they planned on building an ice-cream shop that catered to predators and tamed prey only while another just wanted more ice-cream.

By the time they cleared the room and ventured through one of the back doors, the decor had changed from a practical stain glassed open-spaced welcome mat, to an almost claustrophobic series of windowless hallways. While it was warmer by only a degree or two, it was much different from what they experienced before. The passageways were wooden from floor to ceiling; each step they took creaked a little under them, even if there was carpet to pad their feet. Each wall - dimly lit with mounted lanterns, and lined with flowers - was lined by a portrait of some sort that had a polar bear looking towards the viewer, and every one of them had a single name under it: _Rurik I, Vsevolod I, Vladamir III, Alexander II, Catherine II, Constantine, Elizabeth, Ivan V_... The list went on.

So many names were plastered around that Judy had to do a double-take when she saw the name _Nicholas_ , but was relieved when she realized that it was a polar bear and that 'Nicholas Wilde' wasn't of a long line of mobster bears. Still, though, through the long line of history, she had yet to see the name 'Kozlov' anywhere.

While she questioned this, they approached a single door at the end of the hall. Judy swallowed as they made their way over as two menacing looking polar bears were guarding it. Both were clad in black dress apparel; paws laced in front of them while they cast their deadened eyes towards the oncoming group. Unmoving in their stature, each was nearly the height of the door itself.

Now, mere meters away, Snow spoke, "We need to see Dimitri. Therapeutic session or not, this is urgent."

Both guards snorted, blowing a haze of icy mist from their nostrils before nodding in unison. Each of them grabbed a handle of the door and pulled it open. The door, even being pried ajar, gave off an ancient sounding groan; one would swear that it was akin to opening an old crypt, though from the sheer cold it felt like it.

Gaining passage to the room, Snow halted before the guards and turned to meet Judy eye to eye. The stern look of annoyance the vixen gave the doe made her both cringe and want to lash out in anger. "Remember, you are our _guest_. Act like one," she whispered in clear warning before treading on. "Don't make me regret assisting you, cute little bunny." She gave the rabbit a wink with the last few words.

Judy clenched her paw in heartfelt fury. Again, the vixen belittled her and she could do nothing about it... for now. So, took a deep breath - stuffy and inhibited by her scarf - and pressed forward.

The chamber they stepped into was strangely ominous to Judy's thoughts. It was darkened, save for a little candlelight in the back of the room; and it felt... colder than any other than the room they were locked in earlier, she had to hug her coat a little tighter. There were small drifts of snow and ice built up in corners of the room. A single empty desk with two chairs set before it sat in the center of the space illuminated by the faint light that gave it an eerie appearance. The chair that was placed at the desk was enormous, its form blocked much of the light that should have filled the room; in fact, the light began to diminish from the moment they entered and coincided with what sounded like a rush of wind. Further behind the desk and set on the wall was a single portrait whose face shone brilliantly in flickering candle light; much larger than the others scattered about the hall, it featured a large polar bear clad in a business suit and bearing with striking blue eyes with a stern, deadened stare. A massive plaque was etched under the frame in fine brass lettering with a single name: ' _Dimitri Morozov_ '.

Shivering from the terrible feeling she got, Judy witnessed a little bit of the light fade from one of the candles. A misty vapor was left in the wake of one of them she knew she saw moments ago, it was replaced with an icy remnant that threatened the others and somehow the sound of... _breathing_?

Judy froze when she realized what the bellowing sound was, she noticed Nick hadn't moved either; in fact, his collar had turned yellow from the sheer sight of the figure she could now make out before them. Set behind the desk wasn't just the chair. No. Even that paled in comparison to the hulking figure behind it. It was then that, for just a moment, the colossal bear turned his head; blowing out another candle with ease and making the room dimmer.

"Sir! We need to speak with you for a moment, it's an emergency," Snow announced, both Nick and Judy quivered at the bear for varying reasons. " _And_ , you have a few guests," she added, smiling back at the two mammals nearly backed into a corner.

No sooner had the bear heard this, did he turn to face them. With what little light was left, one could vaguely see his smart blue dress apparel. A shimmer of gold adorned each of his paws and he wore comically oversized sunglasses atop his head. His blue eyes - dimmed by the diminishing light that he so caused - held a tiredness to them that spoke of the pains of ages gone by and weariness of spirit; yet, they still carried with them a faint warm glimmer of hope and wisdom beyond his years.

Judy couldn't stop staring, her mouth agape behind the newly acquired scarf. While she had indeed seen many of this species in her years on the force (criminal or otherwise) she had never seen anyone as... _gargantuan_. He dwarfed every polar bear that she had seen in her life; in fact, they barely came up to his shoulders. Even the guards posted at the door seemed like cubs, and they were almost as tall as the ceiling itself. She couldn't imagine how this... _thing_ could even make it down the hallway without destroying atriums and archways.

"Nikolai. Welcome." The bear's voice - even with his intimidating size - was calm and almost gentle even in his state of surprise. He even had the beginnings of a smile formed on his muzzle.

Despite this, however, his guests shuffled back; Nick more so than Judy. They didn't gain much distance as a light cough caught their attention, Snow motioned for them to take up the seats before them. As there was no way out, the two inched their ways forward; neither took their eyes off of him. What made matters worse was that - even though there were two chairs that were far too large for them - they had to hop into one seat due to the nature of their short tether. By the time they sat down with what little space they had between them, they could taste the nervous tension in the air.

"H-hey Kozlov." Nick said, his voice a trembling whisper.

Judy inhaled a sharp breath just from the mention of the name. This bear - with the striking resemblance to the picture - was Kozlov. Some time ago, she had figured that the name may just be a pseudonym, a ghost of a name given to one with so much influence; but now being able to associate the name ' _Dimitri_ ' to this would certainly help her crack this criminal underground.

"How are you, old friend?" The bear sauntered towards them, ignoring the table entirely and causing heavy creaks in the flooring with each step.

Given the clear that the bear wouldn't outright kill them was one thing to hear, but when you're face to face with said bear and they could breathe you out of existence, your mind takes a toll for the worse.

"Good, good," Nick answered, pushing himself further into the seat. Judy would have done the same, had she not already forced herself backwards into the fold.

The bear just smiled and crouched down to them. "Then why is collar yellow?" he added, pointing to the device.

Nick knew that he couldn't just hide away forever from his former business associate. Especially when only a foot or so away from his teeth and surrounded by his guards. So he did the only thing he could do to get out of a sticky situation, sly his way out.

He put on a nervous grin. "Oh, that," he said, shrugging and hoping Dimitri would buy his bluff. "That's because were in a bit of a... bind?" Gaining a questionable look from the bear and an icy blast from his nose, Nick raised his paw that was still cuffed to Judy.

Hoping to gain ground of some kind (more so that the bear backs off and gives them something to ride to the nearest ZPD outpost) the fox kept it right there, even as Judy glared at him sternly.

For a moment, the bear stared almost in wonder at the cuffs. From their eyes, he was deep in thought about something... then he leaned forward with his paws swiftly grasping the two.

Both gave sharp cries in protest as the bear held them aloft - Nick surprisingly screamed louder and was given a spiteful shock to boot - his maw opening and displaying massive rows of sharpened teeth. He pulled the two apart, allowing their wrists to stretch enough to give him even the tiniest amount of space before crunching down on the binding. It split in an instant with a resounding * _clank_ * of metal against his teeth. Had it been many other mammals, they would have never had the ease that came with such powerful jaw strength; and as quickly as he had picked them up, he set them back down gently on the seat.

In sheer shock, they both rubbed their wrists furiously. They couldn't believe it (Judy was too confused). Their binding was broken, their shackles were loosened, and by a _notorious mob boss_ no less.

The bear chuckled, "Still?"

It was silent for a long moment, save for various clicking sounds coming from behind them. Out of the corner of her eye, Judy could see that Snow had apparently been texting someone on her phone.

Soon enough, Nick was the first to answer, "Thanks." He was still nervous, scratching the nape of his neck and barely making eye contact.

Judy, however, remained silent throughout the whole endeavour. She didn't know what to think. On one paw, Kozlov was as dangerous as a predator as they come; and on the other paw, he set them free - still needed the metal cuff link removed - and _didn't_ devour them.

"Is no problem. I owed you favor." the bear returned, hunching over them as Nick raised a brow at the mention of a debt being paid. Kozlov gently looked at him. "I never repaid you for helping Katchka bear Moris. She was grateful that you helped us have our cub."

Nick could only stifle a breath at the comment, he never expected this any of this.

Before long, Kozlov sighed, "He's a big bear now, Nikolai." His once proud smile had degenerated into a shadow of itself. He looked over his shoulder to the rows of candles that sat below his portrait and surrounded a picture of another bear, strikingly feminine. "Katcha would have been so happy to see him..." He turned to them again, his collar turning from a ghastly green to a sickening yellow. "I wish my little Morris stayed four forever."

Judy's ears hiked up under her hat. Again she heard that the collaring age was five from what she gleaned from the bear just then. She had - up unto the time she had gone to the academy until the day prior - always heard that the age was twelve years and older. Why had she never heard this before? Then again, when was the last she had worked with predator children? Her world was unravelling by the moment. She shuddered at what she might learn next.

Nick was taken aback by this, he spoke sheepishly, "Sorry about the whole... park... thing."

The bear shrugged. "Is okay, Nikolai. Nothing for predator lasts forever," he deadpanned before smiling and raising a paw to his collar. "Maybe not even _this_. No?"

They both laughed at that, which is something Judy couldn't fully understand. That perhaps collars couldn't last forever on predators? The idea alone was preposterous. On prey mammals that broke the law, sure; but on mammals that were biologically predisposition to-

"And who might _you_ be?"

Judy looked up, her vision narrowed by the snug hat and scarf combo. While still genuinely scared, she couldn't exactly bring herself to answer for so many other reasons; namely that Kozlov was technically the enemy of the ZPD itself.

The bear must have noticed her hesitation. "No need to be afraid, little bunny," he said, chuckling and pointing at himself "Dimitri is, how you say... good guy."

It's not that she was too terrified to answer - she had taken down prey mammals larger than him on occasion when she had a weapon - but she both refused and couldn't answer with her reservations in place as well as the scarf stopping her.

Nick chuckled instead, "This is Officer Grumpy Carrots."

Judy clenched her paw and shot him a grave look. Well, it _would_ have been grave if she didn't look so cute. He still smirked and shrugged all the same.

"Oh! She is bunny cop?" his voice, cheerful and boisterous, nearly pierced their eardrums. Still, he stretched out his paw and bowed his head. "Well, welcome to Morozov's Palace any friend of Nicholas' is friend of Kozlov."

Any reservation that Judy had that this was Kozlov had died immediately. This was _absolutely_ the bear that was on the ZPD's most wanted. All she had to do was get back and inform them about the name and nickname. It wouldn't be that hard convincing them considering the circumstances.

Shortly after his introduction, Snow casually stepped up to him. "Sir, you need to go talk to your son. He's in his room and doesn't know what to do about being a... ' _Big Bear_ '," she said the last part in loose air quotes, which was surprisingly easy for her despite lugging around a weapon. "He really needs you."

Pausing for a moment to take it all in, the bear nodded in agreement. "I'll go," he answered, rising to his full height that threatened the ceiling and eclipsed them. He sauntered forward towards the door, eliciting rumbles and quakes as he went. Before he reached the threshold, he turned to the vixen and asked, "Any word on Glacia?"

Snow shook her head in disgust. "We still can't find her, but we have all of Fimbulvetr looking for her," she said sternly, walking over to the chair behind the desk and hopping up. "Oh and I'll be heading out momentarily. I need to get these two back and fix a car coming in soon."

The bear laughed back, "Ah, crazy little one broke another car eh? Why you let him drive? Is costing you fortune. No?"

"Yep. And he had the _nerve_ to get the car a paint job to cover it I heard."

Snow shrugged before expertly aiming towards the remaining lit candles and snuffing them out with her shovel one by one. The room grew both darker and colder with the exception of the hall light from just beyond.

Kozlov only waved back before heading down the hall.

Now, sitting in the darkened room with only the light of tame collars to guide her, Judy hopped down from the chair. She immediately felt something grab her arm and she started to panic. Before she could do so, however, she heard a whisper, "We're going to get you both out of here," came the voice of Snow. "But first, both of you cover your ears."

Judy clenched her teeth at this. How dare the vixen command her (a lieutenant) in a condescending way. She had no right to-

Snow casually paced over to the door and peered down the hallway. "I said cover your ears, bunny. It's eight twenty-nine."

Illuminated by the hallway light, Judy could see Nick doing so, followed quickly by Snow. She wondered what had caused thetodd to comply so quickly. Narrow eyed at the spectacle, Judy sighed and took a deep breath; playing along with the hope of getting out of there, she did so... and was glad that she did. For only seconds later, did she hear the muffled screech of Nick's kill-collar. She had forgotten - and somehow Snow knew - that their time was ticking by the moment...

* * *

It had only taken them a few minutes to reach an elevator from what Snow had told them was ' _Dimitri's conference room_ ' to where they were headed called ' _The Base of the Mountain_ '. The silent hum of the machine was as soothing as it was nerve wrecking. Nick had taken to leaning in a corner and staring blankly into space, deep in thought while they descended. Snow had yet another pawpsicle - that she managed to grab on their way out - crammed in her muzzle and was happily tapping away at her phone. Judy, however, had her back against the wall, eyeing the vixen carefully and the todd sullenly. Not that she was wary of him for now, but the fact that he told Kozlov ( _her enemy_ ) who she was - not that Snow wouldn't have - she had a little more to worry about now.

She tried to decompress her thoughts and debrief herself as to what was truly going on. They were: kidnapped, taken to Kozlov (of all mammals it had to be him), and... freed? It didn't make sense no matter how she tried to slice it, something was off.

Snow had promised them that they'd be okay and that she would personally drop them off home. All seemed good, but then again... was it? If Kozlov knew where Judy lived because Snow informed him, then she could be in danger. Also, Nick still had his kill collar on, and she had no ID, phone, or even the help of Jack to assist her. It could be disastrous if they went to the ZPD only to find that the vixens intentions were (and she knew they were) malicious. So somewhere, somehow in the crisscrossing maze of possibilities, Judy had to figure out how to keep the vixen from having too much knowledge, she'd have to-

"Et wafn't wolfes hat aacked you."

From the muffled words, Judy did a double take at Snows information, Nick merely glanced. Even when she could clearly see her in the well lit elevator, the doe refused to believe it. If it wasn't enough that she was insulted (several times), and almost eaten, this had to take the cake.

Snow took out what was left of the pawpsicle and waved Judy over. "Wolves didn't stuff you in the Borscht room. Take a look."

At first, Judy stared at her, disbelieving wholeheartedly that this was a genuine gesture (and the fact that she wasn't wrong was there as well). She wanted to go nowhere near Snow for what she did earlier; from the kidnapping to almost killing her, it wasn't good for Judy to be around her.

Noticing her reservation, the vixen sighed and moved closer. She pocketed the leftover pawpsicle and held out her phone, right in front of Judy. A video began to play.

In full colour, the image clearly showed what was a pair of wolves - shifty-eyed and wearing long billowing black coats - racing heir way towards what Judy could recognize was the hallways of the compound they were in; she could even remember some of the hallways they went down. They looked down corridor after corridor, carrying with them what looked to be... bags of some sort. The camera flickered and showed them heading towards an open space before they disappeared altogether. It skipped a little before showing them again, now bag-less and frantically trying to escape.

Once the video stopped playing, Judy raised a brow (still hidden under the hat) and tapped her foot; with her paw on her hip, she mimicked the stance Snow had.

Neither of them spoke for a moment, but Judy couldn't help but think that the vixen may have some form of brain damage if she couldn't _clearly_ see that they were attacked by wolves. This video was infallible evidence of that fact.

Snow sighed, "No wolf moves that constricted," she deadpanned, Judy's stance faltered. "These 'wolves' look like they had their tails freeze-dried and nobody here wears a coat like that," Judy did see, in fact, that the wolves almost tripped over their tails at one point and even those seemed oddly rigid. "Besides, they don't have the same body shape of any wolf I know. It's disproportionate, and that's an impostor if I've ever seen one."

Judy held her breath now in further disbelief at what she heard. Sure, they weren't... traditional wolves? She had taken down plenty of them and had seen first hand at how animated they were. Their tails always told their emotion before their collars did. These wolves, however... showed no signs of anything like that, she could barely even see their tame collars for that matter.

' _Maybe_ ,' she thought. ' _she's right_?'

A shiver ran down her spine as she processed that. That Snow, a vixen, her enemy, could be right.

*ding*

The resounding noise and sudden stop informed them that they had finally reached their destination. Instead of hurrying to the door, Judy watched the two foxes (Nick being more reserved) approach slowly.

It opened quickly, letting in a rush of cool air and shone brilliantly despite the time of day. Judy had to cover her eyes with her hat and Nick shielded his own with his paw before walking out into a massive area whose floor was far too reflective to have been just another room. No. This was outside.

Stepping forward, Judy saw many wolves hurrying this way and that. Some of them, especially a rather tall one, she recognized immediately as some of the ones back on the balcony. Just how far they had travelled and where they were now was still a mystery to her.

While still having to shield her eyes from the elements, the texture of the floor was something that she couldn't quite place. It shone like the marble inside - leading her to believe it probably was - yet on it was etched the face of a large mountain with a snowy peak atop. The emblem stretched from where she stood to as far as she could see beyond an awning of sorts that shielded them from the greater parts of snow. In fact, there was no snow (save for the vixen) seen upon this pristine ground; and in her search to understand how that was possible, there were dozens of mammals working almost non-stop in brushing the surface to keep it clean and clear of all debris.

There were a few cars and limousines parked around - most of which were solid black - being tended to and cleaned by waiting staff. No two mammals were idle, and even a few approached them. One being a canid of some type from what Judy could see, and the other was a rather tall and sharply dressed moose carrying a briefcase in one hoof and a clear glass in the other.

"Hello Tundra." Came the cheery voice of Snow.

The grey wolf - clearly female and bounding towards them with a bright smile plastered across her muzzle - clad fully in silver-blue vest and skirt that clashed with her tame collar, held her hands aloft.

"Hey Snow," she greeted in a familiar sounding voice while holding a squirming figure above her. "Lookie what I got!"

As they approached closer and closer, Judy's eyes went wide and she felt her heart almost skip a beat. The little... thing that the wolf held above her head was another mammal entirely. Their form and attire was something Judy could recognize in her sleep. From the black ear tips and tiger-striped markings that made him famous throughout all off the city and beyond, there was no mistake to who this was.

The bunny - fur dishelved and ears drooping down as he was carried like a rag-doll - waved at them weakly. "Hey." He spoke in a manner that sounded both annoyed and tired.

His voice was easily recognizable. She couldn't help but step forward, he was her hero, and he needed help. Yet another step was taken out of worry, only for her to be halted by a paw on her shoulder. To her dismay, it was Snow that held her back.

"Jack?!" Judy shouted in sheer terror and Nick spoke in confusion.

The doe knew this was a setup from the beginning, the vixen was playing her along and now she somehow had captured Jack! How had he even gotten here in the first place? Was he trying to rescue them?

The grip on her shoulder tightened. "Ah, Jack. Just the bunny I wanted to see, bring him here." Snow ordered, her tone was that of excitable anger.

Judy clenched her paw. There was no way she was going to let the vixen flat out attack them both, but what could she do? They were surrounded by wolves, she couldn't call backup, she couldn't fight Snow without a proper weapon... they were dead in the water, in the bitter cold without a single shred of warmth. She had fallen for the vixen's trap!

The moment came when the grey wolf stood before them. She lowered the rabbit down and let him walk on his own as he eyed her. He smoothed his fur out, unwrinkled his suit, and adjusted his tie before locking eyes with the vixen.

He sighed, holding his paws up defensively. "Alright, Snow. Before you start..."

He didn't get a chance to finish his statement when the moose accompanying them stood a few feet away. "She's gonna kill you, Jack," he stated nonchalantly, raising his glass and practically inhaling what was left in it.

Judy had to do something. Maybe she could-

She felt the near death grip on her shoulder loosen a little. "Eighty-seven..."

The vixen stepped from around her, voice seething as she clutched the shovel and drew closer to the buck.

Jack shuffled back... right into the side of the grey wolf who smiled down in a 'you _'re in so much trouble_ ' kind of way. With a simper smile he went on, "Snow, I know it sounds bad."

Judy didn't know what was happening, she lowered her stance in hopes to gain the upper hand on the Snow in a moments notice. Something that she saw the moose take notice of and shake his head. Out of all the mammals there, she couldn't quite judge him accordingly; it wasn't possible for her to figure out if he was friend or foe.

"Eighty... eight... vehicles... Totaled!" Snow spat out each word as if each was a bite of distasteful food.

Judy... stopped? Was she hearing correctly?

Jack shrugged and grinned all the more. "Um...I counted eighty?"

The vixen stood in front of him and leaned down to a point that their noses were almost touching; Jack's smile was nervous but without fear of Snow. The glare she gave him could melt steel. "And what of the bus you took to a demolition derby in the Marshlands?"

"...Eighty-one?"

Judy stood still, mouth agape and searching her memories for questions. She had been assigned to investigate something of the sorts a few years back with what appeared to be a demoed shuttle bus out in the Marshlands. The only reason Judy was even assigned it was that nobody else knew what to make of the phenomenon and no footage was available to the off-road incident. She had categorized it as ' _vandalism and grand theft auto_ ' but neither the driver or vehicle origin were ever found.

" _Then_ there was the big rig I let you borrow because you, and I quote, ' _Were on your way to deliver a haul but the urge to pop a wheelie came by_ '. Did you forget that one, Jack?"

"I did successfully pop said and quoted wheelie," Jack sternly replied wihout any hint of grief. "That's... _still_ only eighty-two."

Judy's shoulders went slack. Again she remembered something about a truck on the highways of Sahara Square going at an absurd amount of speed that overturned and crashed somewhere near the dunes. She had been in that area and it was a night call, but the cargo was nothing but fabric. The footage she gained from the incident _did_ show a truck practically snap in half from its cargo. No driver was found and the plates were all fake.

"How about the three motorcycles you hijacked?" Snow questioned, pointing at one of massive wolves standing by a car being looked at. "I don't know how you got Glade's. He's seven feet tall! How did you even start it?"

"Easy," replied the buck in a singsong voice. "Rabbit legs, a stick, and a dream."

Snow gave no immediate response, just the flickering of her ears and the swish of her tail.

"Still only eighty...five, right?"

"My _two_ snowmobiles!"

"I came back with the handlebars once. You could have thanked me for that."

"And that's a grand total of eighty se-"

The vixen cut him off, "Plus the wreck waiting downstairs that I'll end up having to fix when I get back..."

"Ven... eighty-eight," "But I'm still here and that's a new record somewhere."

Judy was at a loss for words. She wanted to tackle the vixen and arrest her for... practically everything. Then again, there was Jack, her role model, her inspiration; and he was practically confessing to crimes? There was no way that he could be behind those devastating vehicular mishaps.

The moose chimed in, "This is why we keep you away from the helicopter at FERAL."

Jack's ears fell down, a sorrowful - almost pleading - look on his face. "Please," He raced over to the moose with his paws clasped together, completely ignorant of the vixen who was still scolding him. "Just once let me fly the thing! I'll never ask for anything again I swear!"

The moose shook his head. "I converted because of your driving," he reached into his vest and pulled out a small cross from around his neck Jack rolled his eyes. "You'd kill us all if we allowed you to fly that thing."

Jack sighed and sauntered back, a slight waddle to his step as if to make it seem more somber than it actually was. He bypassed the narrow-eyed vixen and jubilant wolf, walking straight towards Judy. He placed a paw on her shoulder leading her away from the small group of mammals and waving at a dumbfounded Nick.

Once a few feet away - and feeling much more comfortable - Judy peeled away her scarf and whispered, "Jack, you _know_ her?" She tilted her head towards Snow who winked back. Surely they were out of earshot even for her species.

The buck snickered, "Yeah, Snow and I go way back." Judy's ears perked up at the mention of their possible friendship. She was about to protest when Jack stopped and stood in front of her, his amber eyes both concerned and upset. "She told me that she and the wolves found you and that you tried to shoot her when she asked you to go with her peacefully."

At first, the doe opened her mouth to shout something back at the vixen for her behaviour, but it didn't come. The way Jack worded it, however, was how things did transpire Snow waned her to come with her and they were treated as guests in their house. Reservations about foxes and all, both she and Nick were unharmed and no grudge was held against her for her outburst. Still, though, there was Kozlov to deal with.

"Jack," Judy whispered in urgency. "Are you aware that the criminal ' _Kozlov_ ' is behind this whole operation?" Her arms spread out in explanation to her situation. "He's here, he's behind this whole thing, he-"

She was stopped when Jack placed his paw up and looked at her without expression. Confused as to why he wasn't calling backup, her eyes traced over him as he spoke, "Look, Judy. We'll deal with one thing at a time. I've already made arrangements to get you both to a clinic soon for a look over." She understood that easily, a concussion wasn't something to be taken lightly. "Snow's going to take us there and- Shh..." He placed up his paw again at Judy's near protest before continuing, "Once we leave there, we'll talk more," he assured her. "but for right now, just know you're in good paws. Snow and Kozlov _aren't_ our enemies. Okay?"

Judy had to consider her options. She was okay, they had the list, she knew where Kozlov was, Jack was back at her side, and she could get back home soon. With all of this that she was facing, she could only nod in confirmation.

Jack smiled, "Alright, lets go."

They turned back to the group, of awaiting mammals and padded their way over.

"Is everything alright, Jack? You ready to leave?" the moose asked, looking longingly at his cup and shouldering the briefcase.

"Yep. Everything's fine," the buck replied calmly and looked over to Nick. "You okay there, Slick?"

He had been mostly by himself, quizzically looking over at Snow and the others before even recognizing that Jack was questioning him. When he did acknowledge his own nickname, he shrugged and pointed to his collar. "A little tired, and wish my apartment was still standing, but I could be worse I guess."

Judy thought it a bit sad. Sure Nick was still a criminal in every sense of the word, but it'd be a bit harsh for anyone to wish that someone's house would collapse, especially knowing that their friends lived there as well.

Given the okay, Jack gave Snow a nod to which she shouted, "Fimbulvetr!"

While impossibly loud for her stature, the ambient sounds of working mammals came to a halt before being replaced by a stampede of steps racing towards them. In no less than a few seconds, nearly every mammal there stood before the diminutive vixen at full attention. Though there were more predators than prey, some of them saluted her as well.

She paced back and forth, eyeing them every now and again before coming to a halt; her shovel clicking against the ground as she poised herself and spoke, "Listen up! We've had a B&E in the Borscht room earlier today and nobody knew anything about it," From her tone and the whispers that crossed back and forth, it was clear that it was a surprise to many of them as well. "Our guests almost died there and that wouldn't look good for Morosov's Palace. So, while I'm gone, I want each and every one of you to be on full alert and report everything to Tundra," Her weapon scraped across the ground, eliciting a horrid noise as she hiked it at the oddly cheerful wolf behind her. "Do I make myself clear?"

As if in one voice, they replied, "Ma'am yes Ma'am!"

She gave them a nod. "Who are we?"

"We are Fimbulvetr! Guards of the Winter! Pillars of the Mountain!"

Satisfied, Snow shouted, "Dismissed."

As she waved Judy and Jack forward, she immediately took notice of the sly expression on the buck's face. She sighed, "Stop looking at them like that Jack. For the hundredth time, they don't-"

He chimed in, "You know the moment I turn my back they're gonna link together and form something." About the same time he said that, he dashed forward and became wide-eyed while standing beside the vixen. "Tell me they form a helicopter!"

She shook her head. "Get in the car, and sit in the back. I want you nowhere near the steering-wheel."

Judy, upon seeing that they were going to leave, followed suit with Nick almost at her heels. They approached a large solid black vehicle that almost resembled Jack's vehicle from earlier. Similar design and in pristine condition, it was far larger than any bunny needed to have, so the interior had to have been modified. This one, however, had a sleeker appearance and looked like it was built for more speed than safety.

The moose was the one to open the car door and usher both Nick and Jack in the back. Judy was about to hop in as well, but was stopped when the larger mammal held out his hoof and shook his head.

"Sorry bunny, but I gotta sit back here and watch him," He pointed back to the rabbit, who had his arms crossed and was huffing in frustration from his inability to have better seating. "You'll have to go shotgun."

Judy didn't see what the problem was, the car was big enough to fit a good deal of her family there.

Jack turned to face them, leaping out of his assigned post and pointing at the passenger seat. "I want shotgun!"

The drivers side door slammed and the engine came to life. Snow looked over the seat and scolded him, "I'll give you a shotgun to your _tailbone_ if you ask again!"

He held up his paws in protest. "But I-"

Snow growled. "One more word and I'll anesthetize you with this shovel and leave you at the clinic." Sure enough, in her paw was still clutched that wretched thing.

Instead of arguing more, Jack hopped back into his seat and grumbled something that nobody could hear.

Judy, however, was left with the only option of riding in the passenger seat of the car, and next to the vixen who very well may try to eat her. Then, as she thought more and more, her head started to hurt. She was with Jack and the odd moose, Nick hadn't proven to be a threat, and surely she couldn't be devoured on the highway. So - if only to get her case solved after a quick check at some doctors office- she leapt into the car without a word as it began to slowly move.

She knew it wasn't over, she still had to report her findings. At least, for now, she had peace of mind that, in spite of all the odd happenings around her, she would live to see another day.

* * *

"With my breath failing and heart racing, I tell you, 'Never forget the warmth of others.'"

* * *

I hope you've all had an amazing New Year. Stay safe, on your way back.

"A Spring in our Step", will be updated within the next few days!

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other stories at your leisure. All can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

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dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything. If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Till Next Time  
 **-DLW**


	25. Chilling Memories

Hey all, DLW here with a new chapter. Thank you to all my readers, follows, fav's and reviews and for your feedback it makes writing all the more fun. And time for a little action in the story, more to come and more at the bottom. Disclaimer: Zootopia and its characters are copyright Disney. (I own none of the characters in the story aside from the O/C's.).

Review response for the FF account:

car213: That she does. And it gets more... interesting in the next volume XD

Combat Engineer: I'll admit... I never watched the move, just those scenes.

Gamer4COD: I know right? Part of it is from a joke that I found about a preacher and a cab driver.

Guest: Snow's a lot of things. And the shovel is a multitool. It's a: grave digger, mammal silence, can opener, snow plow, blunt object, shield, and many many more! Shovel Knight would be proud.

* * *

**The Dystopian Society**

Chapter Five: Endeavor

'Chilling Memories'

* * *

"I stand before you and ask. 'When facing our mountain, what is the most important thing to remember?'"

* * *

[February 5, 'Tundra Town' 9:03 AM]

Judy looked out the frosted window and sighed, it had already been a long day and she had a lot on her mind. So many minuscule details about her journey had bothered her, but she was thankful that she was still in one piece. It wasn't just how she ended up seated next to a fox instead of Jack, but also lingering questions of Jack's teammate in the Nocturnal District, and who this moose was.

She clasped her paw on her temple, feeling a dull pain before wincing and continuing to peer out at the drifting snow. That one little detail about Tundra Town had always been amazing to her: their uncanny ability to produce endless amounts of snowflakes, but still keep the roads clear. It was just about the only thing that kept her calm during the ride; the endless drifting of ice dazzling in the midmorning sunlight with promises of a beautiful day. Something about that vision kept her mind at ease, and the slow rocking of the vehicle was comforting, to say the least.

They had left Kozlov's palace - which upon exiting the parking deck and getting onto the streets, she recognized as Morosov's Palace on the edge of Icy Lake (something for her to report later) - and were now headed close to the weather wall. It was still a bit away from her home in Downtown Zootopia, but at least they were going somewhere now.

The doe's ears twitched at few times she had caught Jack's voice as he was either calling up towards the vixen that Judy loathed, or speaking to the moose set next to him. More so often, she heard Snow almost yelling back something threatening, and twice she promised to stop the car and assault the buck with a weapon and then take him to the hospital. Judy would have made some threat of arrest, but she felt as though Jack could handle whatever may come his way. However, during one of those threats, she was interrupted by a phone call that - despite her being an officer and honestly wanting to tear the vixen apart from a list of offenses today and adding in distracted driving on top of it - she seemed really invested in. So much so that when she hung up she gripped the steering wheel tighter and drove a little faster.

One thing that surprised Judy about the whole ordeal was the lack of ZPD presence in Tundra Town. She didn't patrol the area much, but how they weren't just there to _arrest_ the speeding fox and rescue Judy was beyond her. But still, even further than that was the lack of something; much of the frustration and anger that she felt earlier had gone, and her mind searched for an answer. It wasn't until they rounded a corner and Snow said that they were close to their stop that Judy realized what she was missing: the red fox that stood by her during the whole ordeal.

Her head craned around the seat to take a peek at the todd idly staring out the window. While his visage was more upbeat than before, he still lacked that self-assured smug smile that she had seen the day before. And though his collar remained green, she was thankful that he helped her out of the mess she got into.

She found it odd that in the short time since his parole, that he wasn't the same fox she thought he was. By right, she _should've_ been dead at Honey's house; she _should've_ been torn apart, but _he_ saved her from the rampaging badger. And not only that, when he had a chance to escape, he chose _not_ to dump her down a grinder...

He small form deflated a little at that thought. Still, even above that, Nick did something that she had never heard of a fox doing, let alone many predators. She stilled herself as she remembered him on the verge of tears, crying out that it would be his last day not but a few hours ago. She was told that foxes were evil, that they were ' _red because they were made by the devil_ '.

And most of all, she was told that they never, _ever_ cried.

Her eyes held his form for a moment longer, taking in the vibrant red of his fur from the warm light cascading in through the window. ' _Why is he different_?' she wondered. He wasn't like any fox, any predator, any collar wearer that he had ever known. For Nick had given her the weapon back and told the truth when she was adamant about him being a liar and potential murderer.

Upon seeing him shift in his seat, she hastily sat back properly. ' _Maybe... maybe Jack did tell him something at the theme park?_ ' she questioned. It was a small hope that she may be right, as she couldn't just accept that a fox... a fox of all mammals would help her.

They were supposed to be ruthless violent killers of her kind, the natural enemy of bunnies with insatiable appetites for them. The fox... no... Nick was supposed to be like-

She felt the beginnings of a tear roll down her cheek, and without any warning, her torn ear flickered itself. Taking her paw to clasp down on it as a phantom agony took over, she breathed deeply. This action, something that she had gotten used to out of sheer memory, was not without reason. She had to suppress the old memory, she couldn't afford to look weak in front of their kind, not again.

"We're here."

Snow's voice echoed throughout the vehicle as it came to a stop in a nearly empty parking lot. Judy managed to peek out the window and see that it was, in fact, a small clinic likely the one that Jack said they needed to go to when he had wanted them to be checked out. It was a good idea or so she thought, to have them receive medical attention before she returned to the precinct, her head was already hurting enough.

"Alright, everyone out, except for Jack," the vixen commanded, putting the car in park while reaching out for her weapon carefully placed next to her, "he gets to tell me why I'm gonna need a new radiator, three tires, two headlights, and an alternator".

The buck began to unstrap himself from the seatbelt hastily as Judy looked on. It was unlike any moment she had seen him on TV or any sort of media - his usually stoic and easy going manner driven by the need to help the city citizens - his motions now were frantic and reminded her of one trying to escape punishment.

With the * _click_ * of his buckle, Jack hopped down to the floor and proceeded to scatter out of the vehicle. He narrowly avoided the moose who tried to shut him in the car. Questioning the antics, Judy quickly turned to see Snow leap across her. She reactively held her paws in front of her fearing an attack again. When that wasn't what happened, and instead the vixen leapt out of the door - shovel clasped in her paws and shouting at the escaping bunny - Judy began to question whether she should help or run.

"Don't worry about those two idiots," came a voice from just behind her, one she recognized as the moose, "they've been good friends for forever, but 'ol Jack never learns to keep his paws off her cars." He sauntered over, assisting Judy out of the car and down to the sidewalk before closing the door for both Nick and her. "Just got word that the one he drove us here in was almost a total loss and she's gonna have to fix it."

Judy paused for a moment and looked at the vixen giving chase to the buck in the parking lot. "Snow's a mechanic?" She was on his tail almost eerily calmly as they ran at blinding speeds across snowbanks and icy sidewalks. "Wait. You're his partner?"

It would make sense to some degree that the moose would be Jack's partner in the FERAL organization, but the size difference between the two would be a challenge. Though it's not like she didn't have any challenges as such, she had been partnered with Francine quite a few times.

'Snow I swear I'll pay my tab!' Jack's voice broke through the background as he scurried along the sidewalk.

"No, just his teammate," grunted the moose, shutting the door and locking it before heading to the clinic. "Name's Grim, Anderson Grim," he greeted flatly and pointed his hoof at the comedic scene before him. "and Snow's more than a mechanic, she does a lot here and there. She's also the only mammal alive that would even try to put up with Jack's vehicle record off the books. He's the only one on our team that shouldn't be driving."

'You'll be paying in teeth this time!' the vixen shouted back.

As Judy watched the stranger shake his head and sigh, her mind began to fill in the blanks. When she had spoken to Jack before, he said that 'she was gonna kill him' and that 'it just needed paint'. From the two times, she could figure that 'she' was Snow, and that what happened was that he destroyed the vehicle. It answered a few questions for her, and now she could put a face and name to one of the voices on the radio. ' _But who was the other voice and why did they sound familiar_?' she wondered.

"Anyways, let's get you both to your-" The moose paused, taking a moment to roll up his sleeve and check his wristwatch. "9:15 appointments."

' _Had it really been that early?_ ' she questioned as the hulking figure opened the door and ushered them in. And judging by the fact that Nick's kill collar hadn't gone off in the car, it really was.

Now turning to face the clinic, Judy got a much better look at what she had gotten herself into. Above the entrance that sat between two massive columns for merely aesthetic purposes, was a large sign that read "Northern Hills Family Practice". The bulk of the building was encased in red brick all around the base, not very different from the place that Nick had, but didn't look run down at all. She couldn't tell whether it was from the constant snow or just overall upkeep that the place looked as pristine as (if not more than) precinct one just from the atrium.

The frosted windows shone with warmth behind them even in the midst of the cold morning. A sign reading 'All Welcome' was a complete contrast from many of the clinics - Nick's included - that had a 'predator only' or 'prey only' sticker on them. So at least here, they'd both be treated.

The chill outside dissipated when the door was opened - unlike Kozlov's ice palace, which she had never been more thankful for being away from - it felt homey due to how warm it was, and even the set chandeliers gave a warming light from them. The linoleum floor didn't feel quite as cold as one would think, and soft piano music played in the background.

Judy stared in awe at some of the artwork adorning the walls, much like a kit at the history museum. None of them looked familiar to her, and they were all of different mammals; predator and prey, large and small, old and young. It wasn't until she got to the second set of doors into the inner hallway and actual registration desk that she realized the pictures were alternating.

By the time they had gotten fully into the building, found her eyes drifting from the scenery and back to Nick again. He hadn't said so much of a word, but his smile was slightly back. There was even a point where he had glanced ahead towards her and grinned.

When she went to look away, she almost froze upon the realization that the fox... Nick, was walking behind her.

She had always - even in the precinct - stayed behind predators in case they made any sudden moves, but here and now, this was different. Why did she keep moving? How did she let him get there, and why didn't she feel uncomfortable?

Judy shook her head and let loose a tired sigh. The only thing she was feeling was a slight headache.

"How ya holdin' up, Carrots?"

"Like I got hit by a truck, but I'm fine, Nick."

Judy raised a brow at how quickly she even answered; like it was some second nature thing and she felt almost obligated to do so. And for it to be him? His voice? Nick being a fox? Maybe she had a worse headache than she realized.

There was a deep chuckling from behind them both, and her ears instinctively turned. "Then it's a good thing that Jack wasn't driving."

The moose - both heavy in his steps and voice - took a few paces to get ahead of them, and Judy couldn't tell if he was being serious or not; she figured he probably was, though.

After reaching the double door to the registration desk, the trio entered the main lobby of the facility. Their footsteps were muffled due to lush beige carpeting and padded furnishings in the room.

Ambient lighting came from all directions, and it was surprisingly warm despite the climate outside. The doe quickly found herself removing her coat and taking in a breath of heated air - something she had quite missed having while in the frozen town - despite it being almost on the verge of nauseatingly sanitized.

A few televisions were scattered about, each on a different channel that catered to some fascination of a media outlet. While Judy only really watched the news and a few other channels, the variety was good, but not something that she cared for at the moment. She felt as though it may have been a waste as there weren't any mammals seated in the plush seats.

"We're here for the 9:15."

Judy turned her wandering eyes from the lobby to the sole desk seated in the center of the room. While sturdy, windowless, and with a marble countertop, the only attendee was a snow leopard idly sipping from a mug and typing away at a desk. She seemed relatively bored, but smiled brightly and nodded as she waved at them.

"Alright, Doctor Fina will be with you in just a moment." The moose nodded and casually strode over to the seating area to find a chair in his size.

Judy waited for a moment before Nick followed suit. She couldnhand't remembered the last time she had gone to the doctor's office or sought any medical attention, but she was sure that paperwork was required. When the leopard simply smiled at her, she took the hint and padded her way over to them.

Nick had managed to find a couch and hopped up without a second thought. It was the closest one to his size and upon taking an armrest, he comfortably sighed. Judy was about to do the same when the door to the side creaked open.

"Nick! It _is_ you!"

Not having the moment to get in the seat, Judy saw (and absolutely heard) a stranger came rushing towards the todd at full speed. It took them less than a second to fully close the distance and practically lift him out of the seat into a hug.

Nick squirmed in the mammal's embrace. He was caught somewhere between laughing and catching his breath. "Fi- put me dow-"

Judy watched the event unfold, and could swear that she had seen this mammal before. They were clearly a gazelle, with unusually pale white fur that blended perfectly into their lab coat. She was tall and lanky, even for her species. The black skirt she wore had a logo on it that she recognized as one of the ones that were at Kozlov's Palace; a mountainous kind of pattern in white that contrasted with the rest of the material. With her badge in place and swaying from her coat pocket, she caught sight of a small weapon, likely a tranq gun.

The gazelle giggled and swung the todd around. A sharp Furrench accent was clear in her tone. "Nope. I'm not letting my little student out of my sight for a while."

Before Nick was almost on the verge of yelling - she could tell from the sheer force that the gazelle was stronger than she looked - Judy spoke for him. "Excuse me, ma'am, but we're really pressed for time and-"

"Oh I know," the doe interrupted, waving a hoof and setting Nick back down, "I almost lost my little piece of work student," She took a moment to look at the fox shaking his head from dizziness, "and now he comes back in need of assistance. This isn't how I taught you, Nick."

At the mention of his name, Nick raised a digit, but the gazelle ignored him and strolled over to Judy. "Hello there, you must be Judy Hopps, yes?" Judy nodded, taking her larger hoof in her paw to shake. It was then that she locked eyes fully on the stranger and saw that her eyes were strikingly ruby red. 'Albino?' Judy thought. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm doctor Fina Merci and-"

"-Less."

The room grew quiet for a moment when the moose spoke, he didn't even bother turning to face them while watching the morning news. Judy felt her paw being squeezed slightly in the gazelle's hooves for a moment before she released her and stood up. "And if it isn't Anderson ' _takes his sweet time_ ' Grimjoy."

He shrugged. "Sorry, I thought you were goin' deaf last I heard."

The gazelle's ears flickered. "Next time you need a sling, it's gonna be for your jaw."

"Jack may need a sling in a second," He tilted his head towards the door, "I think Snow's mad enough this time."

The gazelle sighed and walked towards the door. "I fix mammals, _not_ idiots."

With the moose's grunt of annoyance, their conversation was over. "You two come with me," said the gazelle doe impatiently.

Judy was the first one through the door to back rooms with Nick close behind. Whitewashed hallways smelling of lemon scented cleaner filled their eyes and noses. The doctor strode down the hallways with a restrained grace, but kept them within their sights all the same. When they approached exam rooms, she directed them on which one to go to: exam 1 for Judy, and exam 5 for Nick. Both at opposite ends of the hallway, and with clear instructions to wait and sit still until she got there.

Upon entering, Judy was intrigued. It was almost like the exam rooms at Wilde Times - albeit without being raided and abandoned - with sterile lighting, a plush exam table and medical equipment packed from floor to ceiling. She figured that the height was due to the sizes of mammals that lived there, but it wasn't too nauseating to see an almost cavernous ceiling.

When she hopped up onto the table, feeling the crinkle of the material and soft padding underneath her, she almost wanted a moment to fall asleep. 'Can't do that now.' she schooled herself as she remembered during her academy training that falling asleep during a concussion was a terrible thing to do, so she busied herself with case facts instead.

' _Okay, so we were in the underground, got the list_ ,' Judy actually almost squealed when she remembered that little detail that made their pain worthwhile, ' _then we got kidnapped and were rescued from Kozlov's Palace_ -'

It was when she came to this point that it dawned on her that, through it all, they actually lived. It was a realization early in her career, and in her life, that one day things may go bad for her, and that the worst possible scenario almost happened. Yet, here she sat (alive) and waiting to be seen by the doctor.

"How did we survive that?" she muttered.

It was a few minutes before the doctor came to her room, failing to knock and just welcomed herself in with a tablet clutched in her hooves. "So, Officer Hopps, how are you feeling?"

Judy wanted to correct her and say 'Lieutenant' but the words failed on her lips. "Just a slight heada-"

Before she knew it, the doctor stopped typing and took out a small flashlight from her pocket, she knew the drill.

Having bright light shined in her eyes was a bit painful if she were to be honest. Not only that, but having her blood pressure taken (average for a bunny), asked questions about medical history that she could barely remember, all the routine stuff.

After a few minutes of the preliminary exam, the doctor asked her, "So, have you had a CT before?"

The question caught her off-guard "I... When I was younger, I did. I think?" Judy actually couldn't remember what she had done years ago, it all blurred into other procedures she had.

"Hmm." Fina grunted noncommittally.

With the gazelle typing in her history, Judy finally found a moment to ask something that she had on her mind. "How do you know Nick?"

Fina continued to type. "He was my student," she replied hastily, her accent a little faster, "Nick was the first predator that I taught under the Mammal Inclusion Initiative. Top of his class for the time he was there."

This swirled in Judy's head. Again, Nick proved he wasn't a liar, he was indeed a medical practitioner. _And_ to be top of his class?

The typing sound died soon after, and Fina turned to her with a smile. "So," How's your family?"

"I, uh." Judy's nose twitched a little, she couldn't remember the last time she had actually taken the time to chat with them. When she had first come to the city, she called them every day. But now, over the years, they'd be lucky to get a call from her on Holidays. "Haven't spoken to them in a while."

The doctor's smile dropped. She looked almost... upset at the response. She placed a hoof under her chin, deep in thought. "Hmm... then I should call them and tell them you died."

"W-what?" Judy's jaw hung on hinges from the reply. How could any doctor say that? _Why_ would any doctor say that?

Fina's smile returned and she opened one of the cabinets set on the wall. She rummaged through it for a moment before she found a small blue gown and passed it to the shocked bunny. "Now, put this on and wait here for a moment." Without further instruction, the gazelle left through the door and kept the bunny in her stupor.

Judy sat still for a moment with the small gown in her paws. While she was frustrated with the doctor's comment, she couldn't help but think what that would do to her family. With a sigh, she began to disrobe and put the gown on. "I really need to call them."

* * *

 

The rest of her appointment went smoothly. Luckily, the clinic that Jack took them to had on-site equipment to get the work done. The CT didn't take long - the results were clear enough for her to not have to be hospitalized - and she was given some medication for her headaches; Nick too.

Once they were out and back to the vehicle, she was told that she'd need to return home by Jack's order. And while she was thankful that the buck was in one piece - though carried around like a rag doll by the vixen - she was angered that he had given Snow her address.

The vixen even mocked her on the way to the apartment by saying that she'd ' _show up in case she got hungry one day_ '. Judy could only hope it was a joke.

Much of their drive was uneventful save for a single moment when they were crossing the climate wall and onto the freeway of Zootopia's Downtown that every head in the car turned to the massive tower situated in the city's center.

The APEX Law and Medical, as it was known; the establishment that built and manufactured TAME collars and many other products for police and medical use. The twisting helical towers that made itself known to all in the city, the cornerstone that kept the peace.

When they neared Judy's building it was close to 10:15 and traffic was starting to build.

"Snow, this is it. Holly Reef Apartments." Jack called ahead to them. Judy could tell he was upset by the tone of his voice... and the several threats to his life he got when he tried to get to the front seat.

Once the car parked and idled, the vixen looked back at him with narrowed eyes. "You have ten minutes. _Don't_ make me get out of this car and get you."

Judy unbuckled herself and got out without the help of Grim this time. And while she didn't mind the added assistance for such a large vehicle, she wanted to stretch her legs, and there was the open window to consider. She was a bunny after all.

When she had gotten down to the sidewalk, she saw Jack doing the same thing. Judy never did figure out exactly how old the buck was, but he was still as agile as she was.

Once he landed, he adjusted his tie and straightened out his suit. "Alright Hopps, lead the way."

Judy nodded and went about her way. She stopped at the door when she realized that she was missing the most important thing... her key. Mentally scolding herself, she stood there and rubbed her eyes. 'How could I forget that...'

*click*

The doe withdrew her paws to see Jack casually opening the door with a key of his own. She stared in wonder at how he had one unless- "Jack?"

He walked in without looking back. "Apartment 722, right?"

"Y-yeah."

She followed him up to the seventh floor of the building built for smaller mammals and they approached her door. Throughout the whole time, Judy kept staring in wonder. And when they finally stood before her apartment, she asked him, "Do...you live here?" She had never seen the buck anywhere near here and knew of only a few other bunnies in the building. So unless he was in disguise, then how he obtained the key was beyond her.

Jack looked at the door with an expression she couldn't read. It was serious, without any form of warmth or light that she had seen before. "No," he whispered back, taking the key in his paw and inserting it into the lock, "when you didn't show up or call, I had one made."

Judy's ears _fell_.

Jack's paw hovered over the doorknob for a moment, and with his free paw, he motioned for her to back up before he reached into his vest.

Taking a clue and now feeling a creeping sensation crawl up her spine, she took a step back. What happened in the second that followed made her tense.

Jack opened the door, roughly shoving it in with his shoulder and leapt into the room without warning. There was barely any sound save for the door creaking on its hinges.

Judy rushed to the threshold to peer inside. She couldn't fathom what kind of danger would merit such behavior, but apparently, Jack did.

The buck stood in the center of the room - hardened gaze sweeping from one side of the flat to the other - never once making a sound; Judy, despite her sharpened hearing, couldn't even pick up on the controlled, minuscule steps he took as he shifted to gain a better vantage.

In the dark of her apartment - tense as it was from the possible threat - all she could truly see was the cold outline of his drawn gun in one paw, and the faintest glimmer of the knife he clutched in the other. What struck her the most was the poise that he took in his stance: focus forward and ears somehow breathing in the silence as he was in tuned to every hidden noise.

After a moment - one where her heart stilled and her voice and thoughts died to become one with the ever encroaching abyss - Jack finally let his arms slowly fall to his side. She could tell he was still guarded, but it was clearly visible that things were different; something in the way he looked at her - amber eyes sharpened towards the doorway that shone with a hidden level of danger that Judy could only associate with his name; Savage.

It was only when he didn't say a word or move, that she figured the coast was clear. Taking one step through the threshold of the door - which felt like a leap over a chasm - she entered her home.

"Judy, I'm gonna level with you here. What happened in the last few hours... it's _not_ good."

His voice, though calm and seemingly patient amidst the sea of rage she knew was behind it, shook her to her core. From one of her previous conversations with the buck, she knew that he had a side of him that the world never saw, but now that she was here to see it...

"You really have Nick to thank for stopping a literal war," He began, his voice low and intense.

The way his eyes never left her was unsettling, to say the least. And if that wasn't enough, what left his mouth next, made her tremble. "The fact that you're still alive and standing is what's wrong," he paused, taking a moment to turn his head to gaze out of the window. The eerie glow of grey and blue defined his features even more so than she could have tried to describe. "Someone knew about you and Nick, specifically his kill collar," said Jack, barely tilting his head to catch her out of the corner of his eye. "and now... now you're both being targeted.

"I got word that the ZPD in Tundra Town found your cruiser in the river this morning so I came here. Someone had you kidnapped and put in that borscht room to wait until the timer on Nick's collar went off," he paused to look at her, "You would have died from the collateral damage then and there, and the fire that would result from that collar would have alerted the ZFD to Koslov's Palace. It'd be all downhill from there.

"Dimitri would be framed _and_ executed for killing a member of the ZPD. Fimbulventer would be disbanded and whatever members weren't arrested would flood into the other parts of the city. Rumors of these attacks would rise and cause citywide panic. Someone's after you Judy, and it's hard to tell who that would be.

"By the time we went to get you, my colleague was attacked in the Nocturnal District. We had to evac him immediately after you left. Another colleague of mine nearly died during the rescue, and I've no doubt that it was a diversion just to get you."

Judy stood still, taking it all in. They were setup to start with, and now some mammal was trying to get rid of them. They were on the right track to the right one, but someone knew it all. Someone who wanted her dead.

"What are you missing?"

The doe looked around her apartment for a moment before it clicked with her. "My phone, my wallet, and my gear," she hesitated before sighing, "and the cruiser." She could only imagine the report she'd have to processes in the morning.

Jack looked around and began to walk over to the side of her bed. "This just got a little too dangerous for you and him to be alone. I'll have to be with you for the remainder of the investigation." He put his weapons away and pulled out a small rectangular object; tossing it to her, he looked at her square in the eye. "We've also provided you with an encrypted phone that directly contacts any of us. Do _not_ use it to contact anyone else."

Clutching the phone, Judy took a good look over it. It was exactly like her old C-phone, but had a different finish on it, and bore a small blue strip on its side.

As she admired the thing, she noticed Jack staring at her dresser; the sole picture - almost enshrined upon it - stared back at him. He carefully took in his paws.

A long, still silence passed by before he spoke. "You miss him... don't you?"

It took Judy about a minute before she could reply, "Yeah. I do."

The buck gently set the picture down and strode out towards the door. He placed the key in her paw and stood to face the entryway. "Take the rest of today, and tomorrow off to recuperate, and that's an order. We can't have you at half function. I'll send someone to watch after you, and we'll handle your report for you."

Silently, Judy stood there searching for words to say, for answers... but none came.

So by the time she even found the strength to reply, Jack had left. Left her home with nothing but herself.

* * *

 

Later that evening, Judy had managed to get some semblance of her daily life back. While she didn't think much of vacations or anything, it was nice to have some time to herself to reflect. So after her nightly routine of getting dinner (she had enough leftover lettuce and other ingredients for a decent salad) and a shower, she turned on the news to finish her night as ambiance to her journal writing.

[- _PD continues their investigation into the disappearances of mammals around the city_ -]

She had missed a day's worth of entry, what with the kidnapping and all, but was here to fill it all in now.

'-i _t was around the tail end of our conversation when we were locked in the freezer that it happened._ ' She tapped her pen against her cheek as she jumbled words to write. ' _I had never heard of a fox crying before, and it seemed so surreal. All I could hear was that voice telling me not to trust them... but I..._ ' Judy didn't know what to think about everything, it happened so fast. ' _He told me he wasn't a monster, just before all of this... and I-_ '

It had been something that she never thought she'd ever even attempt to think of; the strangest series of occurrences in her life, and all over the course of two days.

Judy idly tapped the pen against the paper as if by sheer force of will the words would stream out of the pen and onto the stationery without full use of her wrist. That'll never happen, she chuckled to herself.

While it was wistful thinking, Jack's words still stung worse than what she felt when chained to Nick. Her mind went blank as she versed it over and over again.

"Monster..."

[ _In other news, assistant mayor Dusk Bellwether will be speaking at the charity event held by-]_

That was the only word she could mutter, the only thing she could whisper. It was the sole thing that she had believed in her entire life: the one thing that had been disproven in 48 hours by this fox's side. The thing that-

Her vision began to blur, and she absentmindedly trailed her paw up to her ear. The chunk of the extremity that had been bitten off was a constant reminder, a memory of days gone by; it was the same memory that resurfaced when Snow had her teeth against her neck, the same one that, somehow, constantly gave her night-terrors.

She tore her eyes away from the paper long enough to see the little picture resting on the nightstand. Now sniffling, she dropped the pen and walked over to it in reverent hesitation. Upon reaching it, she nearly fell to her knees when her paw smoothed over its surface.

' _You miss him... don't you?_ '

She'd remember Jack's voice calling to her as he did the same thing, for she too stared at the bunnies in the picture. One more so than any other.

' _Yeah, I do_.'

She looked longingly at the two, so close together: a little bunny - merrily smiling and unharmed by the evils in the world - seated happily on the shoulders of her older sibling. The larger grey bunny bearing striking amber eyes much like Jack's own, eyes that she would never see again.

Judy clutched the picture in one paw, now on the verge of trembling. The bunnies in the picture blurred save for two: the young Judith Laverne Hopps, and the other-

' _Brandon_ -'

Judy didn't know how long she held the picture, or when she fell asleep with tears staining her pillow and the tv still on, but one thing lingered on her mind; the same words she kept repeating in her head over and over again, words that failed to write themselves in her memories. 'I hope, he's not a monster.'

[- _anniversary of the creation of the Predation Clause and shortly before the death of her great-grandfather Isac Bellwether. Mayor Belinda Swin_ -]

* * *

* End Volume 1: **The Dystopian Society** *

* * *

"I stood atop the mountain and shouted, 'Never forget who made you who you are!'"

* * *

Hello there, you've reached the end notes! So concludes volume 1 of Predation, with volume 2 starting soon, but I'll have some in between chapters before that.

'Missing You' will be updated soon. along with 'A Spring in your Step'

Lastly... 'Bits and Pieces' is up and will be updated this week.

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other stories at your leisure. All can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

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dancinglunarwolves

archiveofourown:  
users/DancingLunarWolves/works

If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything. If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Till Next Time  
 **-DLW**


	26. Closing Time

**The Dystopian Society**

Extra Chapter

'Closing Time'

* * *

[February 5, 'Nocturnal District' 3:55 AM]

The Nocturnal District of Zootopia was a very... odd sort of place. Known as the 'Underground' by most, it gained a reputation as one of the most distinctive areas in its namesake city when it was first built. While not odd in the sense of it being too diverse from what one would call the most diverse city in all of Animalia, the sheer idea of it was more than enough to raise a few brows.

For starters, being a city _under_ the city was something that was unheard of. The subterranean district was known for having the look and feel of a lost world and bygone age that both mirrored the surface, and reminded one of the era when their great city was first built. And not only that, but time there was on a different table; noon on the surface was midnight there, if only for nocturnal mammals to acclimate themselves to a routine.

Since its initial excavation and modeling, it did draw up concerns. Most of which were: surface transportation, water resources, lighting and electric, and most certainly HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning). Initially, the problems were too massive, far extensively too complex to solve. But with years of planning, they all came together beautifully.

The district now had many ways to travel above ground. From the many reservoir and drainage tunnels, the lines of subway trains that ran there, and to the most prominent and reliable travel method of using the Central Spire - the pillar and backbone of their transportation - all manners of egress were covered. There wasn't a single mammal - from the smallest mouse to the tallest giraffe - that couldn't go and see the nightlife for themselves.

Intricate water wells were dug and carved out to support the mini-cities needs as they came. Ranging from small pools to overflow tunnels, it was no easy feat to divert much of the water from the Rainforest District and flush it into manageable waterways and usable water. But in the end, it all became a magnificent array of water that flowed from one source and ran in every direction.

For lighting and electricity, massive cables and conduits for efficient energy were situated in substations peppered throughout the district. Though it did come with some difficulty as having to divert tunnels for maintenance and root them downward, it became apparent that it was crucial that it must be sustained at all times. For the light that illuminated the Underground had to come from all directions as to keep a sense of time and prevent too much damage to the cavern. They had massive strobe lights attached to the cave ceiling; all able to turn different colours to indicate the time it was, but also give a sense of the district's backward time issue. And should the power of the district shut off, more than the lights would die and leave the citizens in permanent darkness; they themselves would be in danger.

While some districts could do without power for a while, it was an absolute _must_ in the Nocturnal District due to the issue of temperature control and air flow. Engineers and city planners spent years in trying to figure out how easily keep the air at a constant temperature and keep it from becoming toxic. Some suggested open air shafts, others said to use plant life to keep it stable. Neither worked for some time, and it was back and forth bickering about who was right and who was wrong. Budget cuts and project management teams screamed for this to be complete, but it seemed like it never would be.

However, after some time, the two ideas somehow merged after the mayor - formally known as Isaac Bellwether - sought to fix the issue and stop wasting time. They ended up using ventilation shafts built in with massive fans and filters to keep the air pure and as dry as needed. And the use of plants that could survive in the dark was a huge help as their resilience brought about many visitors; their unique ability to glow was what had made them all the better for the citizens and it became the site of a lot of tourists and foot traffic.

As years passed, the district continued to thrive. Though... not in the way it had initially.

Like any other, its initial birth brought about wonder and awe. Now, it was just another place for most to live. It was the same thing that happened to Tundra Town, the same thing that happened to Sahara Square. It became another place to live out one's life and scrape to get by. Only tourists and pilgrims to its unfamiliarity saw the true beauty behind the veil of darkness anymore. There was no hope of lively hood for anyone else anymore with poverty striking after tame collars were issued.

Since then the lively hood in which many searched for - a steady job, decent place to live, and comfort of familiar surroundings - became the only fleeting hope of the sub-city. Such things that were necessary for everyday life became the goings about for everyone there; no awe, no wonder, nothing new for many. All the splendor that had been the lifeblood of the district had vanished, just like everywhere else.

Except... there was always the exception to the rule.

Someone who found wonders in the mundane of life and could always see the veil of darkness as a new adventure; something to still find hope in. That one that could always brighten your day just by proximity and a cheerful smile.

It wasn't that they were different in stature from everyone else, they didn't need to be. All they had to be was themselves, someone that wanted to make a difference because that's who they were.

Someone who -

*tap*

\- turned away from the pressure at her arm and was trying to sleep comfortably in her own home...

It was calm, quiet and peaceful where she lay. Her head tucked neatly under a warm blanket - happy that she had central heating and was snugly comfortable - and a content smile sat on the bridge of her muzzle. In the restful haze of sleep she didn't want to be disturbed, not when she was this relaxed.

So many things plagued her mind as of late, she only wanted a moment's reprieve to collect her thoughts. Her head hurt and she couldn't explain why. _A headache perhaps_? she thought, only to wince from both a flash of a memory and a dull itch crawl between her eyes.

A vivid image of a dark alleyway and two figures approaching her caused her to twitch her eyes a little, threatening to tear her away from blissful sleep. A shrill cry of pain as her breath left her, the sting of a shock making itself known and forcing her hooves to protect herself. A shuffle, a deep pain, a red blur... then darkness.

She shuddered at what it all was, it happened so fast and felt so real. Her hooves now made their way up to her neck subconsciously. _Maybe it was a dream?_ she hoped, feeling the downy fur pressed down against the fastened object. Surely it was no more than-

*tap-tap*

-the feeling at her shoulder again...

The jostling started to irritate her. _I swear if it's Mateo, and he starts nibbling on my horns again-_

Sure enough, she felt a dull pressure creep up onto her horns seconds later, crinkling the padded material that kept her from puncturing anything while she slept; she could only huff in annoyance. Whoever it was, didn't want her to sleep anymore; something she desperately felt as though she needed. _Didn't they know what had happened earlier?_ she mused, grunting in light frustration and forcing herself to roll over on the bed to greet her antagonizer.

It was something that she was used to: being bothered by her brothers while she tried to sleep. Not that it was too bad usually, aside from when one of them either tried to hoist her out of bed or whenever Mateo started using her horns as toothpicks. Still, she wondered, _Couldn't they just, for once, not bother me? It's not like I try to get them up when-_

Her brush tail twitched from the memories of all the times she had so rudely awoken her brothers with threats going in both directions. They were the usual 'I'll maul you' or 'One more time and I'll you're on the menu'. They never would go through with it, though; they were family, and they always would be... Even after her counter threats when they did the same thing... She came _this_ close to impaling Al once.

As she rolled to face her annoyance, she heard a small squeaking noise; a sound that the tigers were too large to make as they were no longer mewling kits. So, with a sigh, Gabrizella La'Gñeb (Gazelle or just Zell for short) forced her eyes to flutter open.

The room was as dim as she had left it, that was sure. Despite the single window that let in the faintest light of the outside: street-posts, neon lights, and dim faux skyline, it was far less than what any lamp could offer. While the light was still barely a sliver, she could see what was needed: quilted tiger striped blanket that she was nestled in, hardwood walls and flooring, the single porter dresser and night stand she had with various books and collections about them, and her prized acoustic guitar by the door.

To many, the room would seem a mess with clutter. Despite the few clothes strewn about and coffee mug and glass of water on the nightstand, she believed she was somewhat tidy... Though she knew she could do with a few more sweaters, it got cold in the district often and she only had ten left out of the ones she gave to less fortunate mammals.

With the fog of sleep being slowly lifted from her, the first thing she noticed was that her room was... sans tiger? With a mammal that big - literally at least twice her size - how could they possibly hide in her room? Her bed was nothing more than a floor set futon (she hated getting her horns stuck in box springs) and the single closet space she had was full of hangers, clothes, and mementos that they knew better than to rummage through.

Still, she had the sneaking suspicion that she was missing... something. Some detail about the squeak and shoulder poking. Her suspicions lead her to force her to sit up, every part of her protesting against the motion. As her eyes adjusted a little more to the familiar surroundings, they landed on a little ball of fur sitting near the foot of her bed, waiting with a toothy grin.

It was a smile that she recognized well, one that she had grown fond of over the years. "Pequeña!" said Gazelle with a welcoming, gleeful smile of her own. Sitting there, bright eyed and swishy tailed, was the little possum she had known for years now, Cinnamon.

The tiny marsupial giggled a little, curling her tail around her playfully and cupping her paws to her muzzle. Giddy as she was, she kicked her feet at the sight of the slowly waking herbivore.

Gazelle smiled back at her, happy that she was there, but wondering how. In searching for the answer, she noticed that the kit was wearing a different set of clothes her size. A pair she had only seen her ever wear once or twice: blue suspenders and a shirt with a bunny smiling as its logo. She realized with avid fascination that-

"Did Salt get that for you?"

While her question came out as a genuinely curious, she herself tried to piece together out what happened earlier that day. From a headache she felt to the vision of a red fox, it all seemed... surreal.

None the less, Cinnamon gave a courteous nod and crawled forward.

Upon having the little marsupial reach her, Gazelle picked her up and embraced her as best as she could. Still tired and her mind hazy from recent events, the sole comfort of having the kid there put her at ease.

The possum latched to her side, squeezing her tightly in a hug that she would say could rival any of her brothers any day. And hearing the squeak she gave made her feel a lot better. It still didn't stop her mind from wondering or worrying.

 _How long was I out for?_ she wondered. As if solely to mock her, the view outside hadn't changed at all: same dim light, soft and humming neon glow. And unfortunately, the only clocks she could even try to get a hold on were just out of reach; she remembered putting her phone elsewhere as to not be disturbed.

So, along with everything else in her life, she ha to stand on her own two hind hooves and face the day... well, night in her case.

Holding the possum to her side as she cooed, Gazelle whispered reassuringly, "Alright pequeña, we have to go see if the restaurant's still standing."

It wasn't that she was truly worried that their home and profitability was in ruin, but more so to show that she wasn't a fifth wheel and could stand on her own.

Knowing that Cinnamon wouldn't want to let go no matter how hard she tried, Gazelle took to simply tossing what was left of her blanket and swinging her legs off the side of the futon. The first step she took was a bit wobbly, shaken from dizziness and feeling the effects of what she began to remember.

Still clad in her dress from earlier that day, refusing to have changed into anything more comfortable as she only swore to take a nap to ease her families worry for her, the doe forced herself to stand, shaking off any feeling of exhaustion. The floor and her bones creaked in protest, and the immediate chill of the room caught up to her. She reached up and took off the protective wrapping around her horns, setting them on the bed carefully before she felt her teeth almost chatter.

Shivering and now partially regretting everything she was about to do, she bit back her tongue and refused to quit before her day continued. She wasn't one to just give up on her goals. So by the time she stood up and yawned away whatever sleep lay still on her eyelids, she found herself standing in the middle of her room.

The still and quiet box that she had known as home for most of her life had a feeling of both longing for things lost and hope for the future. She took to looking around for a moment if only to catch her breath. Though she had seen it all, she wanted her eyes to adjust to the light a little more before heading downstairs.

It was when she looked at the mirror just across from her that she even hesitated a little. Two glowing lights, one blue one that she knew was hers and a smaller green one that she saw as Cinnamons, greeted her in the most unwelcome of ways.

Both somberly and reverently, she approached the mirror. Each step echoed with sounds of the past and memories of days gone by. She couldn't tell why it bothered her anymore, but when she was in arms reach of their reflection she sighed.

Staring at both of them that stared back she held the kit in one arm and let her other hoof lazily reach up to her neck.

 _Fifteen years_... she thought, barely mouthing the words as the possum stared up curiously.

The soft and faint blue light mocked her as her hoof scraped by the solid black box it was set upon. Being in the thing for so long did nothing to soothe her or quiet her. It wasn't just her own device that made her stare longer than she ought to, but when her eyes drifted down to the smaller green light, she felt a sting of a tear threaten her vision.

"Miss Gazelle?" the child whispered, gaining her attention. She looked down at the innocent squirming scavenger and her heart almost broke when she spoke. "Why did Mr. Nick have the red thing around his neck? Uncle Salt wouldn't say."

With the possum's better night vision and her own beginning to catch up to her, Gazelle tore away from the sight and tried to bear a smile.

"Let's see what they're up to in the kitchen first, okay?" she said, smoothing over Cinnamon's ears carefully with her hooves. "I'll tell you later, I promise." She didn't really want to answer that, and the reality set in that it wasn't a dream. Nick was there earlier and wearing a kill collar.

As encouraging as her words could be, she felt them take a toll on her. Not from any ill will, but the stresses of everyday life coupled with the recent events, she couldn't bear to have anything happen to any of her family; by extension of species or not.

Not even one step was taken away before she could feel the kit snuggle further into her side, and by the time she reached the door, the doe could swear she felt the side of her dress feel damp.

Upon setting hoof in the hallway and closing the door to her room behind her, the ambiance of the restaurant below filled the empty space. While not as dark as her own suite, the hallway was still dimly lit. All wood surfaces ranging from the ticking wall hanging clock (now reading 4:03 am) and simple carved doors, to the few picture frames and small tables that had lamps on them.

This was home to her.

It was a little chillier than she remembered when walking up. _Must've lowered the thermostat_. she thought, ignoring the fact that she still had a little blur to her vision and awkward steps.

The familiarity was welcome with each stride she took. Passing by the other doors that lead to the separate bathrooms, bedrooms, and the study, she was grateful to have all of this as part of her life. And when she walked about halfway down the hall - as she did every day - she stopped to take a look at the largest picture there.

A wall set frame with polished glass that her family took many, many years ago. Three antelope and six tigers all happily staring at a camera. The family that she had been a part of ever since she was so young, a full family that was extended beyond just her species... a family that had both lost and gained.

There were no longer any other gazelle besides her, and two of the tigers were gone as well. She would have frowned, but the tugging at her side made her smirk a little. _We'll have to take another picture soon._

As the thought passed by and away from her mind, she trekked down the corridor with a little more zeal in her pace. The simple idea of having these other four as part of her life was exciting to her.

While dwelling on the idea and descending the stairs that lead into the kitchen downstairs, the fresh aroma of spices filled her nostrils.

She had been able to tell what each spice was from just the smell for a while now, and she made a little game of trying to figure out what was being cooked.

*Sniff*

 _Cilantro, basil, coriander,_ she listed out, smelling one more ingredient, _And avocado. Fin must be making veggie tacos_.

There were so many more powerful smells, but that one she recognized immediately, so when she opened the door to the kitchen, she was only surprised to see a new face, but not that of a fennec fox frantically mixing ingredients over a pan twice his size.

She was greeted by the hustle and bustle of kitchen work, Clawhouser chopping up fresh vegetables along with her brother Samuel, Finnick barely able to move the wooden spoon in his paws while standing on the countertop to mix the next batch of orders, and Salt scrubbing plates in a dish filled sink.

It was about then that she remembered the conversation that they had. That Salt couldn't stand the heat due to the burns, but he'd be working for them now. _Hopefully, he'll like it here_. she thought, moving towards the center of the kitchen.

Before she could even open her muzzle to greet everyone, Clawhouser caught sight of her.

"ZELL!" he shouted, abandoning his work much to the frustration of his tiger sue-chef and running, actually running towards Gazelle at full speed.

The doe braced herself and felt the cheetah embrace her in a heartfelt hug. She could only chuckle as he did so, he was _definitely_ the hugging type.

"Good... to see you too... Ben," she wheezed and chuckled.

It wasn't until a pop from her back echoed as well as a squeak resounded that he even stopped and released her. When he did, the doe leaned forward, clutching placing her hoof on her spine and checking on the little Cinnamon possum gagging in her arm.

The cheetah stepped back. "Oh no. I'm so sorry Zell I-"

He was silenced by her laughing and placing her hoof on his muzzle. Though still in a little bit of pain, she was relatively unharmed. "I'm fine Ben. Really."

Still not convinced, the cheetah stared at her. "Uh... your _stitches_ ," he said, pointing at the few lines crossing a pattern just above her eyes.

While she tried to comically look at the area (knowing full well that she couldn't see her forehead) the activity in the room came to a screeching halt.

Finnick stopped to stare at them, almost burning the hot plate of veggies he was tending to, Samuel had abandoned his post out of concern for his sister, and Salt had carefully avoided any heat source and made his way over to them.

The doe knew where this was going just by the look on their faces and the gripping at her side. She huffed before anyone could get their words in. "Look, I'm _fine_ ," she deadpanned, not wanting any more attention on her for the rest of the day. "There's work to be done and I'm here to-"

The kitchen door burst open and a yellow-shirted tiger stepped in, pen and paper in paw. "Hey, Fin! How're the veggie tacos comin'? We got three orders after I told them we don't have any more bugs and-"

Mateo stopped with the others in the room to stare at the sole prey mammal among them. He would have dropped the order he carried altogether but his claws refused to let go.

He wanted to speak, say anything, a 'hey sis you're up' or 'where's the food already, we've got hungry customers that I somehow drive away', but the shocked look on Gazelle's muzzle spoke first.

"Wait... we ran out of bugs?" She raised a brow at all of them, somehow disbelieving that the shipment they got hours ago could be completely out. They only ever needed to call when they ran out of stock, and by then they made a decent profit. So the only thing she could think was that they somehow sold them all, a bright smile started to work its way across her features.

Finnick nodded and sighed. "Yeah, we got a bad batch." Her smile all but died. "I tried makin' a burger earlier and it was gross." He thumbed to the walk-in fridge just by the stove. "We gotta toss the stuff we got now and tell 'em."

With the idea of being able to earn a little extra having died just before it started, she took to staring at the freezer. "They can't be that bad, Fin," she said, hoping it was true. And while taboo for her species to have bugs on a regular, she had indeed had them before, it kinda came with having tigers for brothers.

The little fox huffed. "Suit yourself. But don't say I didn't warn you. Those things are nasty!" he said, gesturing to the counter where a burger lay waiting on a serving plate. Gazelle would have protested against leaving food out as it was against sanitation to just prepare things to sell and keep them out for a while, but she was genuinely curious to how it could be bad.

Thankful for the distraction for even a moment, she casually strolled over to the delicious morsel. She hadn't had one in a few days, but always thought they were one of the best things on the menu. So after giving Fin a teasing smile and telling him: "And I will. You have poor taste anyways." she lifted the thing with one hoof and bit into it.

The bread was as soft and tasty as any other she had ordered for their restaurant, and the condiments and filler were crispy, citric and tangy. However... her face soured the moment she tasted the bug patty. Every other bug burger she had was tasteful, crunchy and satisfying.

This... was _none_ of those.

It was akin to wet garbage despite the aroma, like it had soured somehow during the processing. The putrid thing was rubbery and gritty in texture, and the flavor was something she couldn't quite figure out. _A different recipe maybe?_ she told herself. Either way, she found herself slowly setting the burger back on the plate, and spitting back out the remains right where she left a bite mark.

Almost dry heaving at what leftover taste there was, she gingerly looked back at her family.

Finnick gave a proud smirk "And?"

She looked back at the burger, regurgitated mass and all, and tried to put on a brave face. Her tastebuds refused to let her take another bite, but she hated wasting food; though she would never serve that to even a _hyena_. The doe sighed in resignation and held the plate aloft. "Here Mateo," She offered to her brother. "I think you'll like the added flavor."

All eyes fell on him, but he shook his head. "...I'll pass."

Satisfied with hearing his answer and with him requesting the food not burn, Gazelle and the others watched him head back into the open restaurant space. She knew he'd tell the others that she was up and running, but for now, she was happy that she was able to keep up with them.

The commotion in the kitchen soon died out afterward when she tossed the plate. The chefs went back to cooking and Salt took a moment to sign to his niece. While their interaction was short, it left Gazelle confused as to what he was saying. Cinnamon, however, made it seem easy.

He said that he was thankful to their family for letting them stay and that he was happy to be there; both things that made the doe bear a tearful smile. The older marsupial made it known that the heat was bearable as he could stand by the sink and that above all he was glad to have somewhere safe for Cinnamon to stay. Gazelle wanted to question him more about his burns, but she figured he'd give him space. They looked to be healing a little.

She made a mental note to call Lionheart Foods in the morning when they opened. After making the mistake of leaving messages, she realized that the only good time to get to them was when they were fully staffed. So with ensuring the kitchen was still operating, she walked out the door.

Being greeted by a tiger twice her size was not out of the ordinary, though many would find it nothing short of terrifying. It was her brother Alejandro that met her face to face, though his visage was more... stern than hers was. It was an inevitability that she had dreaded since she awoke: potentially being scolded by your eldest brother and told to go back to bed because you needed it.

She couldn't argue against that.

But, instead, he simply asked her if she was feeling alright after embracing her in a somewhat rigid hug. Gazelle knew full well that Al - though the most intimidating of the four tigers - was the last one to even try to give such a thing. So after assuring him that she was fine and even going so far as to ask Cinnamon to tell him (which she did by signing) he relaxed enough to go from a mild headache to just mildly annoyed.

She even got a nod from Daniel who was busy tending to the bar. He had been an excellent barkeep since he was younger, keeping up with orders and closing tabs was his kind of place in their little slice of the city.

When she went to pick up a pen and set Cinnamon down at the empty booth closest to their musical stand, Alejandro abruptly stopped her.

"Al, I'm _fine_. I can handle taking orders and-"

He held up a paw and she fell silent. "Zel, I _know_ ," he said reassuringly. "But you're _still_ tired, and we have enough paws at work."

The doe huffed in frustration. It was true. With the added help of Salt, they were able to have another body up front or in the back cooking.

"Fine," she whispered in defeat, "But I'm still gonna practice while I'm here."

But still, why couldn't they just let her be? She wasn't too bad off to help, and she was no damsel in distress by any means. In the end, she conceded. If her brothers were going to stand as a shield all day and give her a choice between being locked in the tower of her room or to sit back and relax in the ambiance of their restaurant, she figured she could at least have tea and pancakes while she waited.

As she placed the order for herself and a smaller stack for Cinnamon (as too much sugar was bad for her) Alejandro went to get her the guitar if for nothing but to keep her seated. She still never liked being waited on, horns and hoof.

When he returned, pancakes in paw and guitar at the ready, Gazelle thanked him and dug right in. She was more interested in watching the mammals that walked in than her own meal.

They were on the cusp of the dinner rush and others came flooding through in short bursts. Many prey mammals - most of which were both collared and familiar with the restaurant - and quite a few predators came in and were eager to dine there again. Each being welcomed by a tiger - usually Mateo unless Al was by the door - the patrons took their seats quickly and ordered what they had so sought.

It was around then that Gazelle's mind started to wander. She wanted a better life than this, not just for herself, but for _everyone_ there; patrons and family alike. "The stupid collars," she mumbled, picking at her stack of pancakes and chasing down small bites with tea, "Don't know why anyone made them."

She had recalled earlier about her argument again with Mayor Swinton's closed 'Rehabilitation' clause. How badly she wanted it for _everyone_. Why couldn't anyone see that the collars did nothing good? If they could just see that everyone there got along then they'd see that predators and prey never had any need of the torturous devices in the first place.

And had they never been invented or even used, then her family would be-

The commotion of the restaurant brought her to sigh, there was no use dwelling on the past for matters like this. It took her some time to finish her food, even if it was only a little to keep her from starving. And she only wanted to ease her mind, but the only thing that truly did that for her was her music. So with a renewed confidence and mission, the doe took to reaching her guitar and simply humming and strumming a tune.

She realized that, as with every time, many of the patrons seemed to quiet themselves just to hear her play, and the atmosphere felt more... peaceful. It always made her laugh, made her smile that such a thing could be so harmonious. That a simple instrument could bring such joy to so many.

Even her brothers from time to time just sat back and watched when they weren't busy. And she always, whenever she was around, captivated the attention of her little 'Cinnamon Bun'; it always made her chuckle at the child's fascination with music.

The rest of the shift went by swimmingly. Well, as swimmingly as one given her condition could be. It was relatively peaceful and the ambient music she poured out of her being made it a joy to anyone who walked through the doors of their restaurant.

A simple and thoughtful smile found its way across her muzzle with all that happened recently. From knowing that her family had grown with the addition of the possums, to the sight for sore eyes that was her vet, she couldn't have asked for much more.

In time, just like as always, the restaurant's patronage began to die out. No more clinking of plates or last calls. No final orders or lingering aromas. It was just the restaurant crew locking up for the night.

Again, Gazelle was forced to stay out of the closing regiment: cooking dinner for the staff, locking the place, running through the inventory, cleaning, counting, and stocking.

She would have protested, but the moment she tried to do much more than count bills and clean a table, she felt a slight headache that one of her brothers - and it just _had_ to be Al - caught sight of.

So with them all shoeing her away and assuring her that they had everything, she waited just behind the bar with Cinnamon as they finished cleaning the lobby. It did her heart well to see that everyone was getting along, and even Salt was happily scrubbing a table or two without fuss.

She leaned her elbows across the bar, content with the day's work even though she wasn't 'allowed' to do much more than play.

"Beautiful sight isn't it."

While watching them, a cheerful and familiar voice came from next to her. As Cinnamon was on the counter, she recognized it and agreed.

"Sure is, Honey."

Her greeting given, Gazelle turned back to the few cleaning... only to nearly jump out of her hide when she realized who was there.

" _HONEY_?!" she shouted, having fully gained the attention of everyone there and effectively shocking herself for the second time in the Undergrounds day period. The footsteps of the others rushing to her side were one of the few things she could hear over the sound of her own coughing.

Through the painful reeling of shock administered, the doe tried to figure out what was going on but was also thankful that she was already leaning on something to support her. _Great_ , she thought, _more reason for them to worry._

When they had reached her, they either tried to wrap their arms over her shoulder like Al and Mat or quizzically stared at the badger with shock and awe.

Still clad in her militaristic gear and wearing a hardhat with a flashlight, Honey stood and greeted them all. She even took a moment to smile and wave at the little possum sitting on the counter and both smiled at each other. And when her eyes met the eye of Salt, they silently nodded in acknowledgment.

For a long moment, there was silence, but Finnick was the first to ask, "Where did you come from?"

All eyes on her as if she were the metaphorical elephant in the room, the badger smiled nonplussed by any of their stares.

"Home," she answered, looking around the closed lobby for any stragglers. "Got any leftovers?"

Indeed they did and it was Clawhouser that made the move to get them despite his curiosity. He had made a few plates of food for the staff to pick on, and plenty was left over that they'd likely either take to their rooms or store in the fridge for a quick breakfast. So when he brought around a plate with doughnuts and some appetizers, all watched as Honey quickly dove in.

By the time the cheetah backed away, the badger had eaten half of the leftovers.

The tigers stared at each other for a moment, silently wondering which one forgot to lock the door, but it became apparent that, when Daniel tried to open it, it was _clearly_ locked.

In her recovery from both her tame collar shock and shock from the badger appearing like a phantom from nowhere, Gazelle managed to find her breath and ask, "What are you doing here?"

Honey didn't stop eating, she was on her fifth doughnut now, and she was edging her way to the avocado snacks. "I saw Nick earlier and thought I'd stop by."

While her mouth was full of food, Al took a stern eye to her... though he knew it never phased her, she was a honey badger after all. "Yeah, well... he left."

Honey stopped for a moment and gave them an almost somber look. "Did you see that cute bunny he was with?" she asked, placing down the toast she had in her paw.

Each of the restaurant staff looked at each other, and then back to her.

"You mean the one that tried to _shoot_ us?" Finnick sneered, visibly upset and turning his collar yellow for the near hundredth time that day. He couldn't tell how many times it was as he had been stopped from giving stuck up customers a piece of his mind time and time again.

Honey shrugged. "You probably earned it what with the way _you_ eat and all," Finnick growled and felt a sharp sting on his neck that brought him to his knees. Thankfully he was on the floor and didn't have far to fall, though a Cinnamon went wide eyed and climbed down to see him closer. The badger shook her head and continued, "But it's also part of my new theory."

Everyone, save for Salt, Cinnamon, and the downed fox, sighed. Clawhouser of all of all of them knew where this was going, he'd heard it all before. "Honey...you've already made an armageddon theory that you said was... what was it? Sheepmageddon? Ramageddon?"

The badger's ears perked up. The cheetah covered his big mouth.

"So you were payin' attention?" Honey asked, reaching into her jacket and pulling out a sheet of paper and placing it on the counter space after wiping a few crumbs away that one of them would have to clean up later. "But this one is different. You know how quick bunnies multiply?"

Just on her sheet was yet another scribble that they had seen before as an amalgamate mass of gibberish that only she could understand. They never once questioned her for that, but always asked if she was sane.

Al shook his head. "Don't remind me."

Honey paid him no mind, and instead took out a pen and drew a few lines. "Well. Imagine if that's what the sheep want so they can enslave them." The sounds of paws meeting faces was heard in seconds. "Given enough time to get a bunny army, we'd have-"

The badger scribbled and drew lines to connect invisible dots before lifting up the stationery gloriously.

"Viola! The **Lopocalypse**."

The sheet was a mess of lines that looked like a sheep holding the faces of a bunny and a large Z in its hooves... at least that's what it looked like from afar.

Daniel had enough. "Honey, that's _ridiculous_ , there isn't-"

She ignored him and spoke up. "You know... I haven't seen Nick hang around a bunny in ages."

Finnick, who had been helped up by the little possum, took to leaning against a barstool for support. He angrily shouted. "He wasn't _hanging_ around that bunny, Honey! That bunny has him on _lock_!"

Another click and he was down in seconds, unsurprisingly.

It wasn't until that was said that Clawhouser spoke up. "Oh, you mean that bunny in that picture with Nick and his family?"

"Mhm," Honey affirmed, placing her 'incriminating' theory back in her pocket. "It was about... twenty years ago? He was around all the time for a while."

The tigers chuckled in disbelief. Though it was before they knew Nick, it was hard to believe. "What happened to him? Get scared?" asked Mateo.

"I dunno, he just disappeared around the time John escaped."

As Honey continued her explanation, the room fell silent again. Silent murmurings among brothers and the tapping of the feet of Salt were shadowed by the faint gasp of the doe.

"You mean Nick's _father_? That John?"

The badger nodded, swiping one last morsel from the plate and wiping her paws at the delicious meal.

Gazelle had to wonder, _If Nick's father was friends with a bunny, then Nick would be okay with Judy, right?_ In her mind, it was true, that even at a young age he'd see them as nothing more than another mammal like himself. But then again, that lead to another question, "Why do you think Judy hates predators?"

There was an immediate shift of uneasiness that was felt throughout the lobby. None of them, not even the sole prey mammal could suppress the shudder. And though Honey felt it herself, being a badger, she never did let her pain show. "Beats me. But that other bunny and John were best friends." She took to placing a paw under her chin in deep thought. "Ugh, what was his name again?"

After his two other shocks (and the few dozen earlier) Finnick finally found the need for a much quieter voice. "Well, if Nick knew that bunny, then why didn't he say something?"

Though he spoke quietly, it was still enough to force his collar to warn him.

Honey thought about it for a moment. Taking into account the years and Nick's personality, she gave her answer, "Probably 'cause he wasn't around for but a year or two. So Nick wouldn't remember him too much."

Gazelle tapped her hooves against the bar table. So there's a rabbit that Nick knew, and Judy doesn't like predators? Maybe if he were to tell her, then she could see why predators aren't evil. They're just mammals like everyone else.

With that, Honey leaned back and yawned. "Any who, I gotta go for now, but thanks for the food," she said, walking towards the kitchen.

Gazelle waved her on. "Anytime, Honey, just-"

The badger disappeared without another word behind the kitchen door. It swung loosely and shut with all eyes staring in wonder. _Surely_ she wasn't planning on staying with them or attempting to eat them out of house and home. Not like what she almost did once, where that crazy burrower put it all was beyond them.

So for a second or two when she didn't come back and use the front door like a sane mammal, the tigers and gazelle followed her trail.

As soon as the kitchen door was opened, they caught sight of the badger crawling under the space under one of their sinks. The metal frame creaked and scraped ad the badger slid a heavy floor tile away and hopped down into a hole that they had never seen before, and it looked... freshly dug?

It took only the first two seconds for the whole family to drop their jaws in collective disbelief.

It was Al to speak first. "She left... in a hole... in our kitchen..."

And sure enough, it was just that. They had known Honey for some time since they met Nick, and they all knew about her 'secret' tunnel system that Finnick and Clawhouser told them about. For the most part, up until then, they believed it to be some sort of... myth, a legend, a thing to tell your boss to make them believe you're sane over the person they'd think to hire. But now? Here in broad nightlight, there was a hole in their kitchen that they could only assume led to the mad badger's abode.

As they stared, Clawhouser walked in behind them. When he saw them all gawking at Honey's work, he merely shrugged. He knew it was only a matter of time.

Mateo was the next to speak of the tigers. "Should we seal it up?"

Gazelle had to think about it, and for as many reasons as she wanted to say yes, her answer came out as: "No... no Mateo."

"But she-"

The doe held up her hoof in protest, it was her turn to take charge for the remainder of the day. "It's Honey," she reaffirmed, "Do you _really_ want her showing up anywhere else?"

All of them looked at each other and nodded. What was worse than an ex-military and crazed honey-badger showing up unannounced in your house was having the same scenario happen when you've sealed all the entrances and thought they couldn't come back. Having her around was like a cardio exercise itself.

When she heard them all mumble in agreement, Gazelle sighed. "Just... throw a mat over it or something."

Her shoulders slouched a little in exhaustion. _It's been a long night already, and hopefully,_ she thought, _a good day would be greeting them soon._

* * *

Heya there, DLW here and I'm changing up my format for futute stories. All announcements, review answers, and such, I'm gonna try posting at the bottom to free up more story space for the upcoming chapters of 'Missing You' and its format.

'A Spring in Your Step' will be updated next followed by 'By My Side'

**[Review responses]**

Combat Engineer: Indeed it has XD

Be-wildery: I know right? Predict away, and post your theory of what will happen! And stay tuned for Volume 2: Routine.

Guest: Always a pleasure, and I plan on it.

Sergeant Sargent II: I think you're one of the few that's figured that much out. I've hinted at it a little starting in the first chapter, but it becomes more apparent as the story goes along. There's two other times (one from Jack and one from her flashback) that give insight as to what happened ;) And don't you worry, Jack... gets a story of his own that's parallel to Predation. Soon... very soon... and you shall see exactly why he's _Jack_ Savage. And as for Honey, well, I can't say that she's exactly sane what with this chapter and all, but vengance is on the horizon.

**[Updates]**

Alright, I've posted this once before, but if you're looking to find updates on everything I'm doing, and I mean EVERYTHING, please check out my Deviant Art page.

I've been doing a series called 'Snippets' where I'll be posting story excerpts on what I'm working on and will give constant feedback almost daily.

On top of this, I do plan on doing a trivia page before Volume 2 of Predation, let me know in a pm or comment if it's something you'd like to see or just want more story.

Lastly, there's a poll up on my FF page and my DA page on what story you'd like to see more of. Please check those out as one story will recieve 2-3 chapters and the others will be updated once for the next series of postings.

**[Other Sites]**

And I hope you get a chance to read this and the other stories at your leisure. All can be found here as well:

fanfiction:  
~dancinglunarwolves

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If you liked this story and have time please post a review, and if you would like to keep up with the story please fav or follow. Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to message me about anything. If you'd like updates, please check the profile page and or message me.

Till Next Time  
 **-DLW**


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